FARM LABOUR WAGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22465, 8 July 1936, Page 15

FARM LABOUR WAGES

GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS IMMEDIATE STATEMENT URGED [by TELKCItAI'H —I'll ESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday A request that tho Government should make an immediate statement of its intentions in reference to hours and conditions of farm labour was contained in a resolution carried at the meeting of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union today. Mr. H. E. Blyde (Taranaki) stated that, as the milking season was now approaching and farmers desired to make their arrangements for the new season with regard to labour requirements, it was felt that the Government should be urged to publish details of the agreement which it had made with tho representatives of tho union. Jt was also agreed that the executive should co-operate more fully with tho Dominion executive of the Employers' Association in combating recent legislation reducing the working week to 40 hours, resulting inevitably in increased costs to all classes of tho community.

A further remit carried stated: "That while in sympathy with the desire of tho Government to improve tho conditions and wages of farm workers those wages must be based on the ability of the industries concerned to pay them, and we draw the attention of the Government to the effect of the rates of pay on public works and unemployment relief works, which tend to fix a minimum wage at which farm labour can bo obtained, but in the fixing of these rates no account has boon taken of this fact." This remit is to go to tho Dominion conference.