STANDARD TERMS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19315, 4 May 1937, Page 11

STANDARD TERMS

MILKING CONTRACTS SUGGESTION BY MINISTER EXISTING INEQUALITIES A suggestion that parties in sharemilking agreements should get together with a view to drawing up for use in the coming season a standard form of agreement, prescribing, among, other things, a basis of distribution of the> proceeds of farming and the costs to be borne by the owner and the share-milker respectively,' was made by the acting-Minister of Labour, tho Hon. P. C. Webb, in an interview in Christchurch. Legislative action over the matter was foreshadowed by the Minister. "Representations have been made to me recently," said the Minister, "as to the unfortunate position in which share-milkers are placed in respect of their share-milking contracts, and also in respect of tho application of the Agricultural Workers Act, 1030, to tho workers whom they are required to employ to carry out such contracts. Tho increased rates of wages prescribed by the Act for agricultural workers employed on dairy farms were decided upon, having regard to the Ruarnnteed price for butter, and it is pointed out that Hie share-milker (Who receives only a, fixed percentage of the milk or cream returns) has to meet tho whole of the increased cost of labour out of the percentage payable to him under the contract, his principal receiving the remaining percentage without paying any contribution toward the cost, of tho labour. No Standard Agreement

"Where a share-milker himself provides stock for a. farm he is, I understand, on a nil pet' cent basis under his shnro-niilltihg contract, while in those cnjjCH in which he does not provide the stock ho is usually on a .'l3 1-3 basis and be has to meet (ho whole cost of the labour required to bo provided by him out of his .10 per cent or 33 1-3 per cent, as the case may be," said the. Minister. "Furthermore, no standard form of shnremllklng agreement; is in use, the various eoniraids differing in their provisions In respect, of other matters provided therein according to tho parties and the districts concerned. For example, it appears that in some; cases a share-milker receives only a percentage of the monthly cheques and does not participate in the bonus or in the proceeds arising from the rearing of calves and pigs, while in other cases ho participates in the bonus .and receives a share of the calves and pigs. TJueciual Burden "Similarly, the costs to be borne by