Farmers’ Claim for Increased Rewards

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 205, 30 August 1944, Page 3

Farmers’ Claim for Increased Rewards

SUPPORTED BY FEILDING CHAMBER OP COMMERCE

Following up a letter from the Wellington Central Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union setting out the position of the New Zealand farmer compared with primary producers of Australia, America and England; and in the matter of returns for produce and also detailing the deductions in the receipts for meat which were credited to the meat pool and stabilisation accounts, Mr. B. H. Buchanan, president. of the Feilding branch of the Farmers’ Union, addressed the Chamber of Commerce at Feilding on Monday evening. Economic prosperity in New' Zealand, he declared, was dependent. upon a prosperous farming industry. Farmers through their production found 954 per cent, of the wealth, while mining and secondary industries shared the balance. The country’s exports in primary produce provided the wherewithal for our imports and debt charges and it was of the utmost importance that the relationship of a prosperous farming industry to economic prosperity was understood. Since the commencement of the war the gross returns for dairy produce had increased by 18 per cent, while industrial workers had obtained a net increase of 15 per cent., which figure did not take into account the enormous payments made on account of overtime. It was the disparity in the matter of costs which was largely the trouble in our economic make-up to-day. In 1939 prices were more or less related to costs but every year since costs had risen through incessant demands for increased wages. The leaders of primary production had pointed out that unless there was a corresponding increase in returns to farmers, production would suffer. In the absence of any real improvement in the returns of farmers production had dropped, in two years some 70,000 cows had been lost to the dairying industry. The dairy farmer was definitely up against it, working practically 70 hours a week in the season, with the labour of his wife and family thrown in, for a labour rew'ard computed at between Is 9d to 2s per hour. The dairy farmer would npt dispose of 70,000 cows which had taken years of breeding, feediug and testing, if he was getting a fair deal. It would take two, three and possibly four years to restore that loss. The Government had called for increased production but it would be appreciated that the country could not expect the full flush of increased production from dairy farmers for another two or three years. The dairy farmer was a pretty logical fellow and compared his 3s 9d to 2s per hour with the 7s and Ss per hour (with overtime) which the waterside worker was receiving. He says he is not getting a fair deal and against this it had been argued that the dairy farmers’ costs had not gone up but the speaker had obtained figures from tho Cheltenham Dairy Co., which set out the sharp increase in costs which the industry was obliged to carry. In 1939 benzine cost 2s 4d per gallon and today cost 2s Hid per gallon, which was an added cost on cream collection. The cost of grease for lorries was 20 per cent, up; cow covers (second grade jute) up 70 per cent.; milk buckets 22 per cent, up; caustic (used every day) 313 per cent, up; engine oil 24 per cent, up; separator oil 35 per cent, up; rubber ware (milk tubes, inflations, claws, etc.) 25 per cent, up; gum boots (mostly of indilferent quality) 95 per cent, up; brooms 55 per cent, up; scrub brushes 65 per cent. up. And yet, said the speaker, people say that the dairy farmer has nothing to growl about, or that he is being paid for his increased costs. Dealing with the grazier, Mr. Buchanan recited a number of items in everyday use, the cost of which had risen sharply since 3939. Galvanised wire was up 74 per cent., barbed wire 64 per cent., Cyclone fencing 74 per cent, while sheep netting which cost £1 8s 6d in 3939 cost £2 16s 9d a roll to-day; batten staples £1 ISs 6d, now £4 3s 9d; post staples £1 I6s 6d now £3 17s 9d; wool packs 4s Id now 7s 2d; split battens £1 8s 6d per 100 now £2 10s per 100; concrete posts £l2 10s per 300 now £23. The price farmers received for butterfat in 1939 was 16£d per lb. and for the season recently closed 17id per lb. Mr. Buchanan proceeded to deal with the prices received by farmers in America, Canada, Australia and Argentine for meat compared with those paid to the New Zealand farmer. He had heard it said that those countries had higher costs. He agreed that such was the case but they were paid enough over and above those higher costs to enable them to increase production as illustrated in the case of the farmers of England who had increased production by 70 per cent, and in the case of Canada by 40 per cent. For cow beef the English farmer received 96s per 100 lbs. compared with 27s Gd paid to the New Zealand farmer. The old sow or chopper realised in England 31M per lb. but the pig meat producer in New Zealand received only 24d per lb. The meat producer had to face higher costs but his returns had only increased 24 per cent, since 1939. He had been given some compensating payments but overall these amounted to only 24 per cent. He recalled the instance of the price of wether mutton where the 721 b. carcase realised 27s 9d in January last but a carcase weighing 731bs returned only 17s 4d, a loss of 10s 5d for providing an extra pound of meat. That was what the meat producer, was asked to face up to. Apart trom that it was important to understand that 70 per cent, of the produce in the way of meat came off second and third class land which required skilful fafmtng. The hill couptry farmer was up against a very stiff proposition to-day. He did not know now many acres .had gone out of production biit the position was definitely serious. . The hill country farm was the nursery where the ewe fiocks were bred for tfte fat lamb producer and as so much of that land was going out of production he could see a tendency towards lower production in meat. With higher costs continuing, land going bacK and more money going into stabilisation accounts, what is to be the fate of the renabilitation of returned soldiers'? ne asked. He was going to have a very thin time. Tho Farmers’ Union supported stabilisation and understood in this action that it would bo stabilisation for everyone, but the position was that pressure groups were obtaining advantages. Koad transport charges had increased up to 15 per cent, which the community as well as the farmer had to pay. The casual worker to-day received more than the permanent worker. Holiday pay had increased wages by 4 per cent, and would increase shearing costs. These issues were tending to upset stabilisation and it was but natural for the farmer to ask about his share. The speaker fiiade it clear that he was not against employees receiving annual holidays. Dealing with the 1.21 d increase payment for butterfat as a labour reward, the speaker stated that the average production per cow was 2071b5. This labour reward would equal £1 per cow

and with a herd of 45 cows would return £45. The dairy farm worker received 3.7 s 6d per week increase and the holiday pay would bring the weekly increase to £l, so that the 3.23 d labour allowance did not help the dairy farmer. Concluding, the speaker stated that the dairy farmer was not getting a fair hearing while the hill country farmer was having a stiff time and if he went out, production as a whole Would suffer (applause). Mr. J. McK. McDonald, manager, Cheltenham Dairy Co., referred to the unseen costs in butter manufacture, citing the following items in everyday use together with tho percentage increase in cost since 1939: Salt, 33£ per cent.; bicarbonate of sodo, 37 per cent.; nails, 60 per cent.; parchment, 92 per cent.; coal, 21 per cent. These items were among the principal of a number and did not come directly in front of the farmer but were costs which had to be met out of receipts. Mr. G. J. Fitzpatrick commended Mr. Buchanan for his comprehensive statement but described as extravagant the reference in the letter before the meeting to .the high wages farmers were called upon to pay. He did not think farmers had to pay £6 to £7 per week for farm labour. Mr. McDonald, in reply to this, said that he employed two men on his farm. One man received £6 per week plus free house (equal to £1 per week), free butter and milk and free power. The other man received the same ‘‘perks” but 10s less in cash a week. He could substantiate the statement that farmers to secure experienced labour were compelled to pay high wages. Mr. P. G. Guy remarked that it was a very good debate but he criticised tho farmers for not filling in the forms when requesting labour. His view was that there should be a managed currency and ‘‘give the farmer what he wants.” Mr. H. C. Morgan proposed the following motion: ‘ ‘ That this Chamber sympathetically appreciates the farmers’ present day difficulties and supports the claims of the Dairy Board and the Meat Board for additional payments out of the f'umls provided by Great Britain to enable the farmer to bridge his costs.” The motion was seconded by Mr. McDonald. ‘‘ln all seriousness we have nothing before us that the s-heepfarmer is in need of extra payments,” said Mr. Guy. ‘‘We all know that the dairy farmer is up against it. I am quite in favour of the dairy farmer getting an allowance but of the sheepfarmer, I’ve heard no word about him wanting more. If the dairy farmer wants more he should get it, ’ ’ he said. After further debate the resolution was carried unanimously.

A reminder of the eall to church next Sunday to offer up intercession to God on behalf of those who are on active service overseas, to dedicate ourselves to God and to pray to Him that He will . speedily restore to the world a righteous and abiding peace, was given by the A'en. Archdeacon F. H. Petrie at the conclusion of his sermon on Sunday last. Special services will be conducted in all Feilding churches. Concluding his iuspiring sermon on the war last Sunday, the Ven. Archdeacon F. H. Petrie, of the Feilding Anglican Church, warned parishioners against deluding themselves into thinking that the war over. ‘‘There is still much to be there are many more battles to be fought and great self-sacrifice will still have to be practiced. You will be asked to contribute to the Victory Loan; in that way you can help to provide the sinews of war. It is the duty of everyone to help bring it about that that loan in fully subscribed,” he said. Feilding’s clock tower proposal was mentioned by Mr. P. G. Guy at Monday’s meeting of the Chamber of Commerce when he asked whether there was anything further to report. The secretary (Mr. G. J. Fitzpatrick) stated that nothing further had eventuated as he had not been successful in getting the sub-committeo which was to deal with the question together. After a discussion r it was agreed to proceed with the proposition of inviting competitive designs from the Institute of Architects for which prizes to be donated would be offered.

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