FREEZING WORKERS’ WAGES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3804, 8 February 1927, Page 13

FREEZING WORKERS’ WAGES.

A PROBABLE INCREASE. WELLINGTON, February 2. As farmers are liable to be vitally affected by possible increases in the wages of the freezing workers, the New Zealand Farmers’ Union finds itself unable legally to appear before the Arbitration Court to give evidence as to the seriousness of its position. At to-day’s meeting of the Dominion Executive it was resolved to draw the attention of the Government urgently to the fact that legislation does not permit the organisation to be heard before the court.

The President (Mr W. J. Polson) intimated that in the next fortnight or so the parties in the freezing dispute would appear before the Arbitration Court to argue the question whether the wages of the freezing employees should remain the same as at present, or be increased or decreased. Any additional labour charges that were imposed on the freezing companies, he declared, would be passed op to the producers. The companies w’ere conducting their business on a basis which made competition so keen that they could not afford to pay additional charges unless they passed them on. It was impossible at present for the producer to pay any additional charges, or, indeed, the charges made upon him already. “I do not want to be considered a croaking Jeremiah or a pessimist,” said Mr Polson. “I am not suggesting that we cannot get out of the doldrums we have got into.” An analysis of the balance sheets of a very large number of farmers, and figures from the abstract of statistics and the Year Book, would show that the value of the farmers’ stock had depreciated by anything from £10,000,000 to £15,000,000, that they were down £10,000,000 in the value of their products as compared with last year, and that, after paying labour charges, interest on mortgages, and other charges on their farms, they were on the losing side of the balance sheet to the tune of many millions sterling, while, in addition, their stock was depreciating. The loss on farming operations this year Was enormous. At no period in the last 10 to 12 years, with the exception possible of one year,J had farming in New Zealand paid in the aggregate as it should have paid, or as any other reasonably successful industry had paid. This year they had been eating further into capital, and increasing their mortgages. It was very unfortunate to have to make such a statemetn at this time, but the situation was so serious from the producers’ point of view that he felt bound to make it. The producers were enormously interested in any decision of the Arbitration Court, and if the freezing employes’ wages were increased it would deal a tremendous blow at the farming community. The pastoral industry alone was responsible for 95.2 per cent, of the exports, and it could be shown that it was absolutely at a standstill, and that production was not increasing as it should. The Year Book i showed an enormous decrease in the number of farm employees—actually more than 9000—in the past two or three years. It also showed a decrease in the number of occupied holdings since 1924 of 400; a decrease in the pastoral holdings between 1900 and 1923 of 6123; that the value of meat exported last year was £600,000 lower than the average for the previous 10 years, and over £2,000,000 lower than that of the previous year; that unemployment was increasing in New Zealand, and that the conditions of the producer were harder to-day than ever. “I say,” he declared, with emphasis, “that the responsibility thrust upon the Arbitration Court in connection with this dispute is simply enormous. An increase in charges will deal such a blow at the industry that the court will be in the position of putting the last straw on the camel’s back. In these circumstances, it is vitally important that we should come in the case as a third party if possible, and put our case before the court to show how important it is to the producer.” Mr Polson suggested that a strong recommendation should be made to the Government for an amendment of the law to enable a body which actually paid for increases made by the court to have some say.— (“Hear, hear.”) It was decided to urge an amendment of the law to permit producers, as third parties in freezing disputes, to appear before the Arbitration Court.