DAIRY WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 122, 19 November 1937, Page 17

DAIRY WORKERS

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE

EVIDENCE FOR EMPLOYERS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, November 18.

The hearing of the dairy workers' application for a Dominion award was continued in the Arbitration Court this afternoon when further evidence was called on behalf of the employers.

Forbes Herbert Anderson, director of the Cambridge Dairy Factory, and chairman of the Auckland Dairy Employers' Association, said the demands of the union were assessed at approximately £1,000,000. He said that at present the employing farmer had allotted to him under the guaranteed price an average income of £4 a week plus a free house. That was not a guaranteed income, but could be attained only under favourable conditions and by working .long hours. Compared with the present position of a first assistant in a factory with a wage of £5 3s 6d a wSek, a dairy farmer was not so favourably situated. The dairy farmers' reward under guaranteed prices was what remained after meeting maintenance and interest charges on the fawn, and.any increase in coats, whether wages or not, had to come out of that reward. "We submit that, the dairy industry is unable to meet the increased demands," said the witness^ "and cannot see why it should have to, considering that the Government has collaborated in the fixing of wages for farm employees for this season at £2 5s plus 17s 6d, making £3 2s 6d weekly for employees quite as capable as general hands in dairy factories." "I am hot going to take' any notice of this guaranteed price or negotiations between the farmers and the Government" said Mr. Eoberts, on rising to cross-examine. After lengthy questions about costs, Mr. Roberts asked whether the wages paid to factory hands over the year were less than the basic wage. "I suppose they-are," replied witness. Herbert Edward Pacey, managing director of Glaxo Laboratories (N.Z.), Limited, and chairman of directors of "the New Zealand " Casein Company, Limited, expressed the opinion that the Court should consider the precarious position of the casein industry. Returns to producers, from this source had in the past varied to ail abnormal extent. "Increased, costs of manufacturing, the larger differential allowed in favour of cheese over butter,.and the collapse of - the Japanese market will deplete returns to an extent which will seriously menace the casein industry1," witness added:; He said the German market had also declined to a marked degree. "There are m New Zealand today 35-casein precipitating stations," -Witness continued. •• "I Bay, with a full sense of responsibility, thaj if the present demands are acceded to many of these will cease casern precipitation. Indeed, even on todays wages costs, some of these factories will *b«-confronted • . with. difficulty.'' Witness said the present system .of classification worked- admirably.' ,-it had been in operation for many yews, and. he saw ho reason for it being altered. ,;1;.._.„,...;;.:■,.:..,;■,:: . ...... ,■■■.:..