FARM LABOURERS AND ARBITRATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13523, 22 August 1907, Page 3

FARM LABOURERS AND ARBITRATION.

Sir, —In your issue vi August 15 there appears a letter irom "Farm Labourer" finding fault with what 1 said on the above .subject. Under the present law 1 suppo.** farm labourers have as much right as any other body of workmen to form unions and take a ease to the Arbitration Court, and I do not object to that. But what I -io object, to is that farmers should bo put under the same harassing conditions as other employers in being subject to the dictation unit interference of agitators ~ and trades union officials. The matter of appealing to the Arbitration Court can have little effect oil wages, because' the wages question is operating in the fullest, possible manner already. If a labourer can got 8s or 9* per day in other occupations he is liofc going to work for fanners km less, as those of us who are employing men know very well. I am not blaming the men for this; I would do the same tiling myself. On© tiling is certain, however, that as fat as dairying in the Auckland province is; concerned the industry will not afford • any higher wages than are being paid at present; in fact, if . a man , lias to pay 15s or £1 per week and found to youths and men to milk cowfe, it is more than he can possi blyanord to flay where he is taking milk to the factory. No doubt people living in th» towns and the public generally gel r very erroneous impression from reading of soiuo extreme cases where dairy-farmers reaiiw* from £10 to £14 per cow for the season for butter-fat. I have no doubt whatever that if the average were taken oi all the dairy cows being milked for factories in the Auckland province' it would be nearer half the. amounts stated above. The position is something like this, as far as Auckland is concerned:—A. man. to milk, say, 25 cows, will require soiiie.vhere about 100 acres of land, which requires to bo mostly in grass, lie will also require to -ow about 20 acres of young grass every season, which will cast about £4 per acre, and fie will require to top-dress the remaining pasture. The cows will cost the farmer al>Out £6each, Tho return from ouch cow will average about £6 for the season for butter-fat. Tb», cows have to be milked about nine month*, or. say, 270 days each season. This «vorU.*» out at about si<l per day per cow for feeding her and milking her twice i day. Tin* is no fancy picture, but a plain statement , r of facts. I would ask "Farm labourer" whether the man who is milking lor £). or week and found or the unfortunate fanne';, who 'ias to provide all and .take, 'all- tin? risks, is the more to bo. pitied. It is certain that butter will be from Id to IJd per lb 'cheaper than it was last season. Tho.. Government have already announced that they are going to spend £50,000 per annum in appointing dairy inspectors, and are going to compel us to concrete our sheds and yards and put up new buildings, where necessary. If, in addition to this, we are to have farm labourers' unions with paid offi- ; ciiil ; going round -to- mis ; vvhethto wfc«ar» supplying the men with soAp'.'^aljdiCs (i ,"fen(l other luxuries, then I think it will i>e high time for us to give tip; dairying ahd;,{.(inning generally for a iinn> and ink' l a year or two and go round and shoot the faddist* and agitators. .lokki'h Flanagan