LABOUR VIEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 September 1937, Page 6

LABOUR VIEWS

(Contributed by Publicity Committee, Hokitika branch of N.Z. Labour Party).

THE GUARANTEED PRICE.

The announcement of the new guaranteed price for butter and cheese marks the first anniversary of an era of economic stability, security, and certainty for the farmer. But despite the increase over the last year’s figure, a certain number of the producers have expressed dissatisfaction with the present price. Some people, of course, are never satisfied. On the other hand, the opinion has been equally emphatically voiced, in equally competent quarters, that the farmers have no cause for complaint.

Champions of the New Price

For instance, Mr W. H. Staniland, chairman of directors for the Clandeboye Co-operative Dairy Company, said in an interview with the “Christchurch Press” that “he was still undecided whether to be more amused than annoyed at the comments on the guaranteed price which had appeared in the newspapers. Coming from persons who, for the most part, were scarcely connected with the dairy industry, these comments had, in his opinion, been favoured with attention out of all proportion to the notice they deserved.” After pointing out that in the South Island the dairy farmer was predominantly a supplier to cheese factories, Mr Staniland continued:—“lt had been a disappointment to him, as it must have been to many dairy farmers, to see scarcely any praise for the guaranteed price expressed in the newspapers.” “Plenty of space had been reserved for opinions of ‘billy-can’ suppliers, and of men who were suppliers to but-ter-factories, and to whom dairy farming was more or less a sideline, but little room had been found for the really worthwhile opinions wlr'ch might have' been obtained from the cheese suppliers.” • Support for Mr Staniland was given by several prominent farmers in the district. In their opinion, farmers ought to be well satisfied with the guaranteed price, which was the most valuable contribution hitherto made to the dairy industry of New Zealand.

Efficiency of Small and Large Farmers

In view of the extravagant demands for public assistance which certain farming interests are continuing to make, a glance at the Dairy Commission’s Report will furnish information of value. In this report we are told that the cost of producing butter-fat on farms of 30 cows or fewer, is 50% higher tliatf tjn A farms milking between 100 and 200 cows. In figures, the production of a pound of butter-fat costs about 3|d. more on the smaller farm than on the larger. Furthermore, 45% of the dairy farmers in New Zealand are owners of herds of 30 cows or under.

Why Not Collectivisation?

With these facts before us, we may well say to the small farmer: “Small farms are inefficient. Their costs are enormously higher than those of large farms. Why not, then, abandon the old wasteful individualist methods and, taking a hint from the success of cooperative methods in secondary industry, adopt co-operation yourselves p In other words, if you are dissatisfied with the returns which you reap from your labour, you have the remedy in your hands—collectivisation. Hut if you refuse to depart from the old ways, and refuse to adopt the benefits of largescale planning and co-ordination, then you have only yourselves to blame d you find your 'farming operations uneconomic. And you. certainly cannot expect the rest of the community to pay the price of your independence.”

Labour and Farming Socialisation

With a Labour Government in power, however, it is possible that the question of collectivisation of farming will come more and more to the fore. A valuable contribution to an understanding of the subject is to be found in the W.E.A. lecture “The Labour Movement and the Worker on the Land. This lecture forms part of a course of gix entitled “The Labour Movement in New Zealand,” and may be obtained through.the secretary of the Publicity Committee.

Advantages of Co-operative Farming

The lecture referred to, contains the following useful summary of the advantages to be expected from co-operative farming:—

(1) More scientific land utilisation — “the land he uses will be proved bv scientific knowledge to be suitable to the type of farming carried out.” (2) Greater use of labour-saving machinery —important in view of shortage of farm labour. . (3) Convenient division of la-bour-each man having more chance of doing the kind of farm work to which he is adapted, and therefore much happier. (4) More adequate income, resulting from full use of scientific means of production. (5) Leisure available through shorter hours. (CP Greater security—less chance of losing all, and less worry about debts. (7) Community and cultural life made possible by removing isolation. (8) Advantages for farmer’s wife and family—very important, including: fa) Greater sox equal ity. Wife no longer unpaid drudge ol the cow-shed, besides managing home, which with lack of proper facilities is itself a solid full-time job. If she pre-

fers to work on farm, paid in full for labour, lb) Social life, as in 7. above, but even more appreciated by her. since woman has most isolated life in country to-day. (c) Children freed from farm work, and able to benefit to full from education.