PUMP PRIMING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23073, 25 June 1938, Page 19

PUMP PRIMING

Sir, —Your leading article "More Pump Priming," deserves the fullest study by all Labour Party supporters — if only for its sound logic. It must be obvious that shorter hours and less production for the same or higher wages, will, ultimately, spell a lower standard of living for everyone in New Zealand, privileged workers included. It would bo interesting to have a careful comparison made between the earning power of an efficient dairy farmer and the earnings of the average trade unionist, in New Zealand to-day. To do this. 1 take one farmer and estimate his capacity at 25 cows, properly attended to. The total returns (average for New Zealand) would be about 2051b. fat per cow, at Is 2d, New Zealand currency, or a total of £l2 per cow on a favourable average. This would return a gross sum of £.'300 per year for the 25 cows. Farm costs, replacements, interest, etc., would eat up quite £l2O per year, leaving a net income for a farmer of £IBO per year. His hours of labour would easily average 60 hours per week, or a yearly total of 3120 hours. Compare this to our average union worker and his 40 hour week and holidays, etc. Allowing 14 days annual holidays, plus 10 ordinary public holidays, the unionist worker would toil some 2080 hours. For this, the majority of unionists would get some £260 per year, or £BO a year more than the individual farmer, who would, in addition, work some 1040 hours longer than the unionist worker. Yet, without the dairy farmer, the unionist would quickly starve, while in New Zealand, the dairy farmer would be better off without the average unionist.

W.D.K