FARM LABOR

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10737, 7 November 1928, Page 8

FARM LABOR

KM.) OF OPI’OSITJOX 'CANARD.

ME, NOT LESS, MALE WORKERS.

LOW MISCONCEPTION AROSE.

(Special To The Times).

STRATFORD, Nor. 5. That instead of thousands of men walking off the land, there is actually art increase in the numbers of men employed on the land in the nve years period 1921-22 to 1926-27 'is revealed in a special statement made by the Prime Minister (Mr. Coates) to-night. The statement was made in view of the fact that Opposition critics are persisting in. asserting that thousands of men are walking off the land and as such persistence may lead some people to accept their assertions and, to a certain extent, have a depressing effect, on rural finances.

Much capital is being made by critics of the government because the statistics of employees on holdings show a’, drop of some 16,581 during the last 4 years between 1922-23 and 1926-27,” the Prime Minister said, ‘‘tt is,” he continued, “rather significant that they should choose a four yearly period to make this comparison, since such comparisons are usually made over 5 or 10 yearly periods. An examination of the corresponding figures for tlie years prior to 1922-23, however- at once discloses the reason for picking on that year, for in 1922£3, the employees on holdings were lit their peak 'as to numbers and, if wo go further hack, little or no decrease is disclosed. The’,,year 192223 is finite evidently chosen been use it is one which best supports 1 heir argument as to numbers walking off farms. There are several factors which wohld affect these figures and it would he well to examine them a Jit,tic more closely. The peak year of 1922-23 is the one chosen by the critics, if wo go back to the previous year, we find that, between 1921.-22 and 1922-23, in just one year, these figures show an increase of no Jess than 19,085. .Just prior to the collection of the statistics for that year, a. special instruction was issued to sub-enumerators for the inclusion in such figures of occhpiers themselves and such members of their families as were actually engaged in the work of the holding. From a little consideration of the matter, it is' simply a commonsense interpretation of the (figures to believe that a very considerable portion of the huge increase of 10.985 shown between 1921-22 and 1922-23 is due to the inclusion of many members of the occupiers’ families, whose work on the holdings was -of a, minor character, and that a good deal of the decline in the figures shown since is a gradual Correction of this 'factor. 'Phis is also supported hy n study of these figures for years immediately prior to 1921-22, when, it will be seen, each year shows a small but steady increase on, the previous one. If we go back, just one year to 11921 -22, so as to avoid the effect which any misinterpretation of the special instruction as to the inclusion of occupiers and their families may have had on the .figures, we find the decrease in the five years .1921'22 to 1926-27 is only 2596 instead of 13,58). arid, further, that this decrease of 2596 was entirely due. to a« decline in the female numbers‘ of 3092. The males actually show; an increase of 496. That a small decrease has actually taken place in the last 4 or five .years is probably true, but it., is due entirely to economic factors: (> v er which this "or an y other government can have no control. Wo all rememberfn the slump of 1920 to 1*922, while wool and meat prices foil so’ disastrously,that the sustained prices of dairy prodiice saved the Dominion, lnit we also know that dairy produce had itp turn in 1923. It. was a fortunate thing for N.Z. that all our primary products did not slump simultaneously. Since then the dairy farmer,, like all other farmers, had had. to economise” in any direction possible. Where lie could dispense with employed labor and turn to himself, he no, doubt, did so. ' Then there has been, during the period, a very considerable increase in the use of machinery. The • reduction in employees since 1921-22 is all accounted for hy Vhe reduction in the number of females. Tt is to he Bssiimed. that the work of women on the dairy farms is being much lightened hy the extended use of the milking ,machines, snrelv a most. desirable evolution ? The statistics show that, in 1921-22,.. there wore 101,839 male employees on. the farms and in 1926-27 there wore 102 335. ‘file female employees were 33,556 and 30,461. Milking plants increased over rhe period from 12.468 to 17,090 and the fetal cows'milked bv machinery from' 533,315 to 752.761. If we take, the years period 1922-.23 i—The year always chosen by the critics—to 1926-27'the difference in the figures in 1922-23 were 107.950 and in 1926-27 there wore 102 331 the numbers of females being 38.430 and 36,161. '..Another .factor affeetirfg f ive position is flint these' statistics only apply to areas of one acre or over imtside" 'borough boundaries. " As we nil’ know, the progressive boroughs in 'N.Z.' arc : continually extendin'', their boundaries fin'd taking in hkehfi from adjacent counties’,’ While areas' adjacent to •boroughs are also being urbanized mid cut ’'up into areas under the acre.'-* Whenever ally areas are cut into smaller holdings' than one acre and 'absorbed' from a country into a borough that area is automatically excluded from the scope of flic statistics, thus' causing an artificial decrease in the number of 'holdings’ covered and also a decrease in the employees to the extent of the number previously returned on the excluded holdings. At the same time that this process is going on. the large holdings arc 1 being subdivided into smaller- farms, which tend to increase the number of holdings; and employees. The following are one or two examples of alternations which have taken place since 1922-23, wlvere counties show a decrease in the number of holdings following on the loss of areas absorbed into adjacent boroughs:—Eden County <94 holdings): Cook Conntv fol holdings); Wnnnairi Conntv (79 nbiumgs): Waitaki County (17 liokJ- : ngs). ~ However, without further controversy as to the accuracy or otherwise of the statistics,-or without' further necessity for explaining or accounting for . the movements shown by them, their effect, on the soundness of the Dominion’s economic situation can be effectively disposed of by reference to other statistics, Ry quoting the statistics showing the huge decrease of oyer 13,600 in employees since 1922-23 critics imply that this is an indication that the prosperity of the Dominion is being adversely affected thereby. If this were so. the fact would he immediately, reflected in the figures of. the exports of our primary produce. This is the true test as to whether the decrease in the total employees cm holdings is really affecting the economical situation of tli© Dominion adverselv or not. _ In 1923 our exports totalled £45,371.908. in 1927 tllev amounted to £47.571.233. but on the. basis of prices -ruling in ’.he year 1923. ihev would have amounted to £47.976,302. These figures prove that the increase; of over £2.000.000 in 1927 as compared with 1923 was not oulv pot due to increased prices, hut has actually been achieved in the face of lower prices. There is also the further fact to be remembered that exports represent not the "total production, but the surplus production, after our own local needs have been provided for Retween 1923 and 1927 the

population of N.Z. increased by 107,000 i(or S 'per cent) and, if the numbers employed on holdings did actually decrease to the extent shown by the critics, then it has not affected detrimentally the producing capacity, of our occupied holdings. To have during the period effected an increase in the volume of primary products exported in face of an o per. cent increase in our owii population is, surely, avfirie testimony to the energy and ability of our primary producers and the best evidence of the sound economic position of the Dominion. That this increase, in volume of exports between 1923 and 1927 has been of a generally all round character is evidenced by the figures showing the exports of our principal farm commodities, all of which except tallow and'rabbit skins, show an increase in volume. Butter increased from 1,250,140 cwt. in 1923 to 1,'455,573 cwt. in 1927 ; cheese exports from 1,141,460 ewt. from 1,492,792 cwt; frozen meat from 3,043,910 cwt to' 3,364,965; wool from 613,308 bales to '645,2-54 bales. The position may be summed up by realising that various economic forces which no can control have been'at- work and which are difficult - ' : of separate analysis. If the farmer is finding that, by the use of. machinery or otherwise, he can obtaini; as much production by employment of 4'men as he previously did with 5, who can blame him? The essential and-satisfactory point to note is that, whatever evolution is talc-, ing place, ohr production is increasing and our credit stands higher than ever. • *