Dairy Farmers’ Hours

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 105, 28 January 1938, Page 13

Dairy Farmers’ Hours

Sir, —I see in to-day's “Dominion” that there was rather a heated discussion on tlie subject of farmers’ hours at a meeting of the provincial executive of the Fanners’ Union in Masterton. I am a l( , dairy.farmer on 53 acres of land milking 28 to 30 cows, and Mr. Daniell struck tlie nail on tlie head, because the dairyfarmer milking 30 cows on his own is lucky to get away with only 70 hours a week; if he happens to get much sickness in his herd -he has no hope of getting through on 70 hours. I understand Mr. A. Ross is a sheepfarmer with about 1000 acres of land, and milks 30 cows as a sideline and keeps sufficient pigs to keep the house in 'bacon. I do not call that, dairy-farming. I have to grow maize, turnips, lucerne, and mangolds. Does Mr. Ross grow any of them? I do not think so, because he does not require to. My neighbour sometimes grazes his young stock and cows on Mr. Ross's sheep station to eat up his superfluous glass. To milk 30 cows and grow supplementary feed for them is more than a oneman job. I tried it and I could not keep it up. and it ends' mostly in your wife and family having to go into the milking-shed to help you, as the herd is not large enough to pay labour.—l am, Masterton, January 25.