FARMERS IN CONFERENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3945, 30 May 1913, Page 5

FARMERS IN CONFERENCE.

NORTH CANTERBURY DISTRICT

THE LABOR PROBLEM.

SPEECH BY RETIRING PRESI-

DENT.

[PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.] CHRISTCHURCH, May 29. Tlio annual provincial conference of the North Canterbury District of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was opened this evening. Mr. G. Sheat (retiring president) in an address, said they required to pause and think if the Balkan war was wholly responsible for tho financial stringency. When one considered that tho advent of the motor car and the motor cycle was resposible for sucking up of anything from three to five milliori of money in non-producing luxuries any reasonable thinker could seo that hero was tho principal reason for tho tightness of money. After referring to the satisfactory prices for the principal products., ho said the grain yields had been disappointing and added that when one considered that to grow a bushel of wheat at- the present price of land and money entails an outlay of 3s 2d there was not a very heavy profit when 3s Gd is the market value of the product, and it was very doubtful whether—if the present price of lamb, wool and m tit ton continued and the labor unrest prevails— the Dominion might not, in tho near future, find herself importing instead of exporting the wheat necessary for the staff of life. Added to the cost of land were the demands of tho workers, who were about to seek tho aid of tho Court to a decree that all threshing shall bo done by the hour system and not by contract. With the experience of South Canterbury, whoso threshing under that system had run up to 6d and 7d per bushel, against North Canterbury’s 3d, it was quite within the bounds of probability that they might have their children cry for bread and have none to give. Referring to labor matters, the speaker said tho scarcity of labor still continued. The Conciliation and Arbitration Act had proved a delusion and a snare. It became operative when applied to the employer, but was a dead letter when applied to the striker. While he gave Judge Sim credit for being absolutely impartial, the Act was powerless- to arrest or deter strikes, and a Wages Board seemed to present the only solution of the labor problem. Among tho remits agreed to was one urging that the immigration department bo galvanised into life fer the' purpose of securing suitable farm and other laborers and domestics; also farmers with capital—no matter how small—and another urging that where the Crown deals with Crown lands in any county council area such county .council be represented in the locating of roads, arranging sub-division of the lands, and fixing the rentals of same.