STRONG PROTEST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23488, 27 October 1939, Page 10

STRONG PROTEST

ROTORUA FARMERS ; PRICES HELD INADEQUATE HIGHER OUTPUT IMPOSSIBLE LACK OF SKILLED LABOUR [ by TKLKcniAiur—OWN- correspondent] KOTORUA, Thursday Although the remedies suggested differed from militant direct action to the recording of protests, it was evident at a largely-attended meeting of farmers and business people last night that practically all of those present resented the present trend of events and were prepared to support the strongest possible protests to the Government against its being allowed to continue,. The meeting passed a motion affirming loyalty to the King and Empire in the present crisis, but registering an emphatic protest against the socialisation of the farming industry and pledging full support to the Dominion executive of the Farmers' Union in any action it might find it necessary to take. The mover added as a rider that; the meeting considered it impossible to increase production as requested by the Government under the prices being paid for primary produce. Protest to Government The meeting was .addressed by Mr. K. S. Cox, president of the South Auckland sub-provincial branch of the Farmers' Union, who said that before war broke out farmers had decided to undertake certain measures and were accumulating a fighting fund for the purpose. Jt was now considered inadvisable to proceed with the measures previously decided upon, but mass meetings of protest were being held all over tlie country and resolutions carried at these meetings were to be dealt with at conferences of representatives of primary producing interests, to be held in Wellington next week, when a strong and united protest would bo made to the Government. If this failed, he said, a suggestion had been made that a monster petition should be presented to the GovernorGeneral. Many farmers were advocating more drastic action, but the farmers did not want to be thought unpatriotic and wished to avoid this. Direct Action Advocated Several speakers at the meeting advocated direct action, cither by way of passive resistance and a refusal to supply produce or by marching in a body to Wellington to air their grievances. One speaker advocated closing the gates of all farms for a fortnight, and another asked what would happen if the farmers tipped their milk down the drain instead of supplying the factories. The main causes of grievance ventilated were the difficulty in obtaining labour for farms, owing to the competition of public works, the Government's refusal to increase the guaranteed price, in spite of rising costs, the increasing socialisation of the transport industry, implying further increases in costs for farmers, and the new marketing legislation, giving the Government power to commandeer produce, not only during the war, but after it. One speaker described as "eyewash" the statement by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, that ample labour was available for farms, other speakers pointing out that much of the I available labour was unskilled and un- | suitable.

HIGHER WAGE RATES MEN ON PUBLIC WORKS PROBLEM OF FARM LABOUR OTAGO COUNCIL'S PROTEST [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] DTJNEDIN, Thursday The recent increase in Public Works wage rates in relation to the problem of farm labour was the subject of critical comment at a meeting of the Otago Provincial Council of the Farmers' Union to-day. Mr. D. H. Cockburn moved that in spite of the explanation given by Mr. Nash, the council should protest against the recent, increases in rates of pay to certain classes of Public Works employees on the ground that such action is diametrically opposed to the appeal made by the Government to farmers to increase production: Mr. Cockburn said that farmers could not be expected to compete with the Public Works Department in the labour market with wages rising, and without labour they could not respond to tho appeal for greater production. Mr. T. Stockdill quoted cases of form labourers who were now working on public works at 18s 5d a day in the very districts in which they had previously worked on farms. In the meantime farmers could pay only a little over £2 a week. How could they expect men to prefer tho farms to the public works?

Mr. Willis Scaifo said it was impossible to deny the drift to public works, but all their complaints and protests were laughed at. The Minister of Labour insisted that there was no dearth of farm labour, even while production was declining because of it. Increased wages at this stage could only further aggravate the position. Mr. Cockburn said it was useless for the Minister to persist in saying that the demand for labour could be filled. There were long lists of unemployed but the Placement Service could not find among them the men required to carry out. farm work even reasonablv well.

The motion was carried unanimously. FARMERS JOIN UNION El< FKCT OF DISSATISFACTION [PUOM OUlt OWN COUHKSI'ONPKNT] HAMILTON, Thursday As a result of the dissatisfaction existing among farmers regarding the guaranteed price for dairy produce for the 1939-10 season, there has been a sharp increase in the membership of the Farmers' Union in the Waikato. All branches report accessions to their membership, while at Whatawhata last night.it was stated that practically 100 per cent of the settlers in the district had joined the Whatawhata branch.