FARM LABOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21855, 18 July 1934, Page 15

FARM LABOUR

gj r) —i assure Mr. Orr that I have no "Reluctance to answer directly," but there is such a thing as limitation of space and the editor's big, bad, blue pencil! I am certainly no advocate of low wages. On the contrary I have always contended that wages should be paid on the highest scale possible. But, when they are artificially forced up to impossible levels, disaster must result. If more, than its true value is consistently paid for anything, whether wages or material, bankruptcy must result. What I contend is that the main cause of our troubles is the disparity in wages —those within trades unions and protected industries getting roughly four times the reward of those not so situated. The result being that the goods produced on the too-high wages cannot be bought by those on the too-low wages. So the high wages now are thrown out of employment,. What has Mr. Orr to say to that? With Mr. Orr I regret the quite disproportionate cost and inefficiency of distribution. Production is efficient, but directly we start to put the produce into consumption we are met by transport control, high tariff, false exchange and every impediment the stupidity of man can invent. As to the fair prices of the curious assortment of commodities which Mr. Orr names, I am not sufficiently conversant with the markets to quote, especially when the place of delivery is not named. But, on general principles, they should be the fair cost of labour plus a fair profit on capital—and would be so if only competition were unrestricted and free from the impediments I have named. I am not aware of the conditions governing the price of "an imported garden spade," but can inform my friend that for each one of the enormous number of slashers imported into this country we have the pleasure of paying an extra half-crown in order to keep ten men on half-time in making the local article. And a "distinguished" politician recently deceased almost brought the House to tears in describing the cruelty of throwing those ten toilers with their winsome wives and cherished children on a cold and unsympathetic labour market! Mr. Orr is shocked at the disruption and suffering that would be caused to grocers, butchers, clothiers, newspaper men, doctors, etc., if their rewards were reduced to the level of eightpence per pound for butter-fat. So am I. But does he reflect that the unfortunate farmer has already experienced this calamity and is even now carrying on his back all those others enjoying a totally different scale of remuneration? That is the root of our troubles. The farmer —all important to New Zealand —cannot possibly pay for labour and he and his wife and family work for nothing. And does Mr. Orr realise that, if a great improvement not yet in sight does not speedily take place, this disruption and suffering must inevitably overtake all classes? We cannot for ever put it off by increasing an already crushing taxation, by using up reserves, by falsifying our money and by borrowing abroad.. E. Eable Vaile.