THE ARBITRATION ACT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19731, 2 September 1927, Page 15

THE ARBITRATION ACT.

POSITION OF FARMERS. FLEA MADE FOR EXCLUSION. GOVERNMENT NON-COMMITTAL. [B? TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. A suggestion that the dairy industry should be excluded from the scope of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act was made to the Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, and the Minister of Labour, Hon. G. J. Anderson, to-day by a deputation which claimed to represent 244 dairy companies. Complaint that for some time the dairy industry had been feeling the effects of the many restrictions which had been imposed on it by the Arbitration Court was mad© by Mr. A. Morton, of the National Dairy Association. He said a motion asking for exclusion from the Act was passed at the last conference of the National Dairy Association, at Rotorua, and this had since been endorsed by practically the whole of the industry. The dairy industry was in a peculiar position, so far as its products were concerned. The employees were linked with the large labour organisations, and in the event of anything in the nature of a sympathetic strike, the effect would be disastrous to the whole industry. Cost of Production. Increased costs of production coirid not be passed on to the consumers, and that, he felt, was a good reason why they should not be parties to an award which forced them to pay a wage based on the cost of living and the rates of pay in other industries. It was not economically sound to bind the dairy industry down to set hours. If they were bound by awards in the matter of hours their product was sure to suffer. They asked that the industry should be allowed to work out its own salvation. Mr. J. G. Brechin, representing the smaller factories of the Dominion, said it had been authoritatively stated to him by a company secretary that if the present award were put into operation it would cost the suppliers in the Pahiatua district no less than |d per lb. butter-fat more than it did previously. He did not think the employees wanted an award. Mr. Brechin expressed the hope that when amendments to the Act were being considered the Government would take into consideration the present position of the dairy industry. Experience showed that very often it paid better to be a dairy factory employee than a supplying farmer. Amendments to the Act. Mr. C. E. Macmillan, M.P. for Tauranga, said the farmers used to get on a great deal better before the awards came into operation, and a better feeling used to prevail between the managers and the employees. The better-class employees were not at all anxious to belong to trade unions. The present conditions of employment were too hard and fast for the smooth working of the industry.. Mr. Anderson said the various points would be taken into consideration. They would .see the amendments to the Indus-' trial Conciliation and Arbitration Act within a week or so. It was a difficult matter to please everybody in labour matters, and the man who tried to do that would never get anywhere. He was making his recommendations to the Cabinet on Saturday next,' and the various representations that had been made to him would receive consideration. The Prime Minister said he would keep the representations of the deputation in mind. At the moment he was not prepared to discuss the matter at all, or to indicate what action the Government was likely to take.