FARM LABOUR REWARD: DAIRY INDUSTRY CLAIM

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 September 1947, Page 6

FARM LABOUR REWARD: DAIRY INDUSTRY CLAIM

[SPECIAL TO STAR]

AUCKLAND, This. Day

The claim submitted to the Dairy Products Marketing Commission for a retrospective payment to,the dairy industry of an increased labour reward for the dairy farmer and his employees was discussed by Mr A. J. Sinclair, secretary-manager of the Te Awamutu Co-operative Dairy Co. Ltd., at a meeting of the South Auckland Dairy Association. The claim was for an increased reward commensurate with that received by other persons associated with the industry who, during the past season, had obtained increases through extended benefits of the 40-hour week. Mr Sinclair reported, as a member of the Dairy Industry Council, that evidence on the subject had been piven before the commission in Wellington last week. He added that the claim affected all Jjutter-fat supplied as from December 1, 1946, and involved a sum slightly in /excess which might be granted under this heading would mean a commensurate rise in the rate of wages paid to dairy farm employees as from that date. ~ x xi Mr Sinclair said that there was a misconception in the industry in connection with increases in the guaranteed price. ‘Tt is generally believed,” he said, “that for every increase of Id per lb butter-fat in the guaranteed price, dairy farm wages go up by 5s weekly, but this is not so. It applies only when an increase is granted on the labour reward factor in the guaranteed price formula.” Mr Sinclair said it was hoped that the present involved system of keeping the guaranteed price stationary and granting increases in the form of far mand factory costs allowances based on butter-fat production would be discontinued, and that the various increases granted under these headings since 1942 .would be incorporated with the increase for the 1947-48 season, so that a straight-out payment for butter and cheese would be decla'red by the commission. This, would avoid the necessity of monthly'claims by dairy companies and would considerably relieve the Marketing Department in connection with the remittances to dairy companies.