“FARMING FIRST”

Grey River Argus, 12 May 1931, Page 8

“FARMING FIRST”

VIEWS LABOUR. The following editorial article is i i from “Farming First” the official or-1 gan of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union (Auckland Province) of 10th. April 1931. IWe have quoted in full i n order to show the changed attitude of some of the cockies towards the workers. Time 4 I will show the cockies that they have j I a great deal more in common with the j workers than they yet realise. j “We have every reason to believe I that the Labour Unions have no inten- ’ | tion whatever of accepting the pro- | ‘ posed wages cuts, unaccompanied by , any attempt to deal with high interest rates and other causes of high 1

costs. “For many years we have hammered away at the question of high costs, have argued that just such a state of affairs must arise as has arisen, and have said further that civil disturbance was likely to follow.

“Wages play their part in high costs. We have given specific instances we have given totals, showing how increased costs in various industries and in collections of industries have depended upon wages and upon factors other than wages, and wages are a minor factor in high costs of production. With regard U farming, the Government Statistician —whose figures arc much more applicable to large farms than to the average farm, and arc wide open to criticism—nevertheless substantiates that interest charges and NOt wages are the chief burden of the land. Moreover, it is notorious that farmers, through shee r inability to do better, pay lower wages than other employers.

“ There is trouble looming. If Labour accepted a cut in wages, the probability is that there would be a further cut found necessary in a short time. Ta a per cent, reduction in wages will not set right the economic balance, nor enable essential production primary to proceed: there are too many fixtd charges. Rise of prices may relievo the situation, and insofar as present prices are not the result of the operation of natural laws, but are manipulated by buying interests, there may be some relief, yet such relief is likely to be only temporary, and a period of low prices can be expected. To believe that 'the working classes, well organised as they arc, will agree to provide all the sacrifices, is to be too credulous. “What is to be done by farmers? There are favourable factors. Trouble will probably develop during the winter, when farming work is at its lowest and when farming interests will be least prejudiced. It is hard to see meat and diary product piling up in thr> yer'i. wicp the certainty that when the accummaticns reach their markets they will cause a slump in prices

This can be minimixed by care of the Meat and Dairy Boards, which control shipping arrangements, to keep stocks low o n this side. We recommend to our readers the idea that presssure should be brought to bear on all export boards, to ship all produce promptly, so that farmers may be less likely to me dragged into, quarrels that arc not theirs. As to “stoush’’ methods, let farmers leave the Employers’ Federation to do its own stoushing. Farmers have everything to gain anj little to lose by attention being drawn to the factors, such as high interest, high cost of government, etc., which, in common with wages, make profitable increasingly difficult. Every effort will be made to drag farmers into the qurrel —indeed efforts are now being made, and successfully to drag the Union into anticipating difficulties which may never arise.

“Farmers should be ready, but their readiness should not lead to any leaping before they look. They should be ready to see that actual disorder of a serious nature does not occur; they arc well able to do that. Interfering in wages’ disputes is n ot farmers’ business, provided that the resistance on either part is within the four corners of the law; any such interference is much more likely to precipitate the very evils we should be all anxious to avoid. New Zealanders are a quiet and peaceable people whose love of peace and quiet is likely to be severely tested. By waiting patiently until the need of intervention is perfectly clear, the good will of the vast majority will be assured. The lesson of 1913 should be taken to heart and chestnuts left to be taken by those who will eat them.”