FARMERS DEMAND HIGHER PRICES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 249, 18 July 1944, Page 3

FARMERS DEMAND HIGHER PRICES

Injustice Alleged DAIRY PRODUCE AND PIG MEAT

(By

-M. J. Galloway.)

Following conferences between the Government and leaders of the dairy industry, also the Farmers’ Union, early this year, the. dairy-farmers held high hopes that their main diflieulltes would be smoothed out, so permitting strong efforts being made not only to stem the decline, but also to increase production. It was, therefore, with great expectation that the farmers awaited the I rime Minister’s announcement to he broadcast prior to leaving for the United Kingdom. When the message was received and stripped of its eulogy and patriotic appeal, the farmers were not only astonished but disappointed to find that they bpd- been awarded little or nothing to compensate for present-day farm costs and no financial reward to use to stimulate production. Present Position.

The plain facts of the position are;— (.1) Dairy-farmers are working not less than 70 hours a week, women and children all in, and under an accountancy survey of Taranaki, Manawatu and Wairarapa, competent practical men—freehold unencumbered —are receiving a labour reward of 2/- an hour and an equal number of farmers with mortgage obligations J/S to .1/0 an hour. No reward is allowed in the above figures fur the work of women and ebpdren. (2) The dairy-farmer is working for a flat rate of .1/8 to 2/- an hour, and one-third of the total farm production is caused by work before S a.m. and after 5 p.m. The moment that farm produce passes into the hands of the industrial section, time and a half or double time operates before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m. We now compare the dairy-farmers’ labour reward of 1/S to 2/- an hour, producing this urgently required No. 1 priority product, with the rate of pay of those men loading this produce on the. ships at the main ports of the Dominion. We find they lire receiving £l2 to £l5 a week t working out on a fiat rate of 7/- to 8/b an hour. We ask the New Zealand Government how they reconcile this with their solemn pledge that the "farmers’ reward would be measured by the same yardstick as other sections of industry of equal importance.” When the dairy-farmer asks for a higher price for his products and a just reward for his labour be is informed that it cannot be granted without disturbing the structure of stabilization. We say in reply that primary produce is bearing almost the entire weight of stabilization cost, and the earlier thjs injustice is removed the quicker the primary producer will lie able to increase production. We wish the people of New Zealand to know that. Iwuttse of this injustice, we are asking, through the Farmers’ Union, that a commission be set up comprising three judges of the Supreme Court to examine the entire stabilization structure in its relation to'farm costs and prices. 3. We .-isk our friends in industry to recognize that, we do not make these comparisons of labour rewards with malice or envy.- We do. however, bold these comparisons up for public examination so that all may know the truth.

The Prime Minister Jias announced that the d.-iiry-f.-ii-mers will receive a wage cost increase of .1.21 pence per lb. of butterfat for next season to pay labour in order to increase production. This means 1.21. pence multiplied by 207 lb. (per cow Dominion average for lfM-2-13) —this season’s figures are not yet available, but are expected to bn about 2001 b. per cow-—and equal to an increase of income of £1 a cow. Therefore a herd of -15 cows will show the farmer an income increase of £l5; but wages have been increased by 17/<> a week plus holiday pay, that, is, £5O per annum. 'The farmers’ increase of 1.21 pence per lb. butterfat is immediately cancelled. leaving no increased reward for the farmer or return to increase production. Tn order to employ additional labour—the first essential in the move for increased production—it. is necessary that the monetary price bo increased for the products so enabling us to pay for the labour required. In excess of this, an additional increase is needed to cover farm costs and reward to the fanner for his own labour and hard won capital invested in his land. ( onipiirisoii of Prices. The New Zealand dairy-farmer also compares his prices with those obtained hy the farmers of the other Dominions, the U.S.A., and United Kingdom, as under: — V.S.A. N.Z. Canada. Aust. IPI-J-tS. 1012-13. IUI2-13 Per lb. I’er lb. Per lb. Per lb.

W<- have till- spect.-i'-lc of tin- New Zi-.-iland Govi-iiimcut selling our pot-Jk to U.S.A, forces in Ihe Pacific at. (’• 7-Bd. per lli.. ami the U.S.A, farmers selling their pork al 1/1J per lb., f.o.b. New York. It costs the New Zealand farmer (id. per lb. Io place pig meat on the market. with the result that, selling at <> 7-Bd.. the return is iniecouotuie and production is declining. Tlie U.S.A, would gladly have paid lid, per lb. for pork in order to secure full requirements for th:- I’.-K-ilh- instead of half the amount at l.i 7--Sd.. and shipping space for the balance from U.S.A, tu a price return to their farmers of L'Jbl. per lb. The Food Comptroller in the United Kingdom is paying the farmers in the .British Islr-s 15.8/- per iIOOIb. for beef, whcri.-as the New Zealand Government, pays us o-l/- per 1001 b. For bi s 1.-imb fhe United Kingdom farmer is paid 20d. pi-r lb., and the New Zr-.-iland farmer Pd. Fur wool we are paid 1/2 per lb., Canada 2/6, and U.S.A. 3/-. transposed to New Zealand curri-ui-y. The Food Comptroller of the United Kingdom is the head of a great, department of State charged witli the responsibility of obtaining food at the best possible price (for his people) from throughout the world. lie would not be discharging his duty as a custodian of the public purse if his representatives did not buy on the best terms that can be negotiated. By comparison of prices paid. United Kingdom farmers are being well rewarded for their sup l plies. The New Zealand Government is not doing its duty fo the farmers of this country or to the people of the Dominion unless it states with firmness and dignify the “just price" reipiin’d to pay the farmers of New Zealand for their Ia bo nr, and product i.»n. We cannot subscribe to the view that our patriotism is being dentonsirated by passively suffering economic injustice at the' hands of fhe buyers of our produce — the New Zenlnnd Govenment. By doing so we are not only becoming finan-i-ially and physically exhausted, but also enfeebling the heritage of future genera-tions-—the farm lands of New Zealand.

I’nt riot ism-—Jove of country —is fostered by justice, and we draw special attention fo the fact that, farmers of the British Isles ami out- sister Dominions are being treated with justice and generosity, whereas the farmers of New Zen-l.-ind have been lashed by economic injustice and sacrificed on the altar of patriotic appeal.

Butterfat ... IS 10.,'Wi 20 22 Pi" meat ... i:;i o'-< — t) Cheese Hl 81, II —