DAIRY PRODUCTION

Evening Star, Issue 25067, 7 January 1944, Page 5

DAIRY PRODUCTION

WAGES COSTS AND OUTPUTS SIXTY PER CENT. IMPROVEMENT (Special.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 7. By the use of labour-saving machiner; and other improved methods, New Zea land dairy farmers are getting an enor inously better result from their expendi ture on wages than was the ease i generation ago. .Farm labour in th< Dominion lias a higher net productivit; than that of any other country in th" world. This is the conclusion reachei by Mr W. M. Hamilton, of the De partment of Scientific and Industria Research, who devotes a special chapter, of his survey of the dairy industry to i discussion of the labour factor. Details are published in the ' Journa of Science ' showing' the average outpu per male labour unit in the dairy in diistry in terms of butterfat produc tion for the period 1915 till 1940. M: Hamilton is able to show from thes< figures that the rising trend 6f out put has been remarkably constant dining the whole period until it has in creased by GO per cent. He states tin reasons.' First, is the increased use o: labour-saving machinery, for in 192( only half the herds were milked b; machine, while to-day the proportioi is 86 per cent. • Less farm labour i; now used in developmental work, whih increased production per cow has in creased the labour output per unit witl little increase in the'" demand " lipor labour. Finally, a factor making' foj improved results from wage expenditure is' that motor r transport has reducer time spent on unpi'odurtive work sucl. as delivery of milk to the factory. THE CALL OF INDUSTRY. The superior call of' town industry is discussed very frankly in this survey. Mr Hamilton states that in depression times,' the manufacturer reduces hands or works short' time—the farmer reduces wages. " 'lt is ofter claimed,'' lie continues, " that the discrepancy between agricultural and industrial, wages is exaggerated since the cost of living is cheaper in the country So far as the agricultural worker is concerned, there are certainly fewer'opportunities for expenditure, but workers prefer higher cash wages, even il they do spend'iridre."' He also instances the superior attractions of the five Maj week with opportunities for pleasant companionship 'during ■week-ends, and .the handicap of farming in'its lack ol opportunities for promotion. " Thi. s description." he concludes," may be held to pay too much attention to thf debit side, but it would be idle to ignore these aspects. The attractions of urban positions will not diminish, an( j dairying must do more than prate' about the freedom' of : cbtiiitry life, and'the low cost of Jiving, or merely rail against the shallowness of the" town's attractions if it ; 'wjsh'es to'fetairt'the'best of its youth on the land."