MOUNTING COSTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 146, 23 June 1938, Page 23

MOUNTING COSTS

THE CHEESE INDUSTRY | DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE ✓(By Telegraph—Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, This Day. Unless something was done to improve the position of the cheese industry it was going to be almost wiped out in tffe South Island and seriously affected in the North Island said Mr. A. Morton at the National Dairy Association conference today in his presidental address. He complained that labour costs were practically prohibitive. Labour costs in the cheese factories were the greatest problem facing the dairy industry today and the position was getting steadily worse. He was astounded at statements made at the South Island dairy farmers' conference two weeks ago. Facts and figures regarding the seriousness of the position would be placed before the conference at a later stage when it would consider a South Auckland remit that the conference emphatically protest against added costs to the industry through restriction of hours and payments for overtime, thus substantially reducing .the differential payment between butter and cheese suppliers and seriously jeopardising the industry and affecting the quality of cheese. Referring to the season's results, Mr. Morton said that the labour problems made it difficult to run farms and this, in conjunction with high costs, meant smaller herds and in some cases a complete turning over to some other branch of farming. In view of this it was satisfactory that the decreased production in butter and '. cheese was not greater. C. W. Price and Co., 91 Dixon Street, will sell tearooms and household, fur- i niture, carpets, etc., in the mart to- 1 morrow, commencing at 1.30 p.m.