DAIRY ASSISTANTS’ WAGES

Southland Times, Issue 23988, 1 December 1939, Page 4

DAIRY ASSISTANTS’ WAGES

To The Editor

Sir,—The question of a rise in dairy factory assistants’ wages certainly has Mr Bourchier on pins, but why does he waste his time and energy quoting figures to me? I did not start this correspondence to argue with him about wages. That is a matter for the union and the Arbitration Court to settle. What I took exception to was the manner in which Mr Bourchier. tried .to impress upon the public his opinion that dairy factory assistants were a class of loafers. Mr. Bourchier s suggestion that I should throw up my employment to get a job on .public works surprises me. Surely he’ realizes that in time of war it is the duty_of all men to help along production. I believe 1 am best serving at present by carrying on in my present occupation, but; perhaps your correspondent himself could make use of the suggestion. statement that I would not hold down a job with a farmer for one week is ridiculous in view of the fact 7 that I spent eight years in one farmer’s employment. Mr Bourchier considers that he could out-work me in the factory, the ditch, or the gravel pit. I have had •considerable experience over a number of years and have spent much time in these occupations, and, considering that lam 20 odd years younger than Mr Bourchier I think he would be compelled to quit first. Indeed, it would be little to my. credit if this were not

Mr Bourchier states that nowadays it takes three men to work 1000 gallons of milk. That is utter rot. In most factories at present the ratio is approximately one man to 750 gallons—the same as in the good old days! Mr Bourchier says that the cheese made by the “lassies” in the Old Country is vastly superior to New Zealandmade cheese. I do not think anyone but Mr Bourchier would compare cheese made in small quantities in the dairy with cheese made in such bulk as it is in our factories. Ido notice, however, contrary to Mr Bourchier s statements that New Zealand cheese almost always is awarded first prize in the supreme test at the London Show. I have, time and time again, seen New Zealand cheese gain first, second and third prizes, and often a Southland factory gains highest honours. In view of this, I hope Mr Bourchier will think before he talks about the inferiority of our New Zealand cheese. In 1904, although that was before my time, Mr Bourchier tells me the farmers took on the job of the freezing workers. It strikes me, sir, that most farmers can kill and dress a sheep. Is it not part of a farmer’s duty as a rule? When Mr Bourchier says that to hand-milk 25 cows or machine-milk 40 cows takes as long as the dairy assistant works on a. Sunday he is imagining things or else lying down on the job. Again, how many farmers hand-milk 25 cows single-handed? Judging by my own experience I would say there were two and sometimes more to that number of cows. Furthermore, Mr Bourchier says that farmers do not get a week’s holiday at the end of the season, but I think he will agree with me when I say that most of them are in a position to take more than a week’s holiday if they so desire, and I know by experience how many days are spent at the seaside and so on even during the season. I consider Mr Bourchier’s statement that my remarks showed iip Labour’s attitude towards the war, is, to say the least of it, malicious. If Mr Bourchier thinks he can turn this correspondence into a political channel he is mistaken. I consider I am entitled to my own opinions concerning politics and no man has the right to question which way I vote. Is Mr Bourchier sure it is not a Nationalist’s view I stated? To say the war is of secondary importance to me is a falsehood. I have brothers in the special force and so have some of my workmates. We are doing our bit at our job in the factory, but should; the time coine when our services are required at the front, although married, we will not be the ones to lag behind. I think the dairy factory assistants are as well represented in the special force as any other class in New Zealand and it ill becomes a man who is over military age to come forward with suggestions for sending others. The dairy factory assistant must be a source of considerable annoyance to Mr Bourchier when he would like to see them forced' to enlist first! I would like to have him know, too, that I am not one of those responsible for the nasty remarks concerning the farmers and wages. My parents were dairy farmers when I was born, and as a class, I have the highest regard for the dairy farmer; and I think most dairy farmers who know anything of dairy factory work have the same regard for us. In conclusion I would have Mr Bourchier know that dairy factory assistants have neither the time nor the inclination, after a hard day’s work, to run round the countryside to meetings, for no other purpose than to make a big noise.— Yours, etc., CHEESE FACTORY ASSISTANT. November 29, 1939. To The Editor Sir, —I do not intend entering into a war of the pen with Mr Bourchier, but I should like to ask him a few questions and state a few facts regarding the work of a dairy assistant. Why did he pick on one section of the community regarding the question of enlistment? Does he know that one wellknown manager appealed to Wellington when four of his men enlisted, and had their applications refused on the grounds that taking experienced men was imposing a hardship on the successful working of his factory? Evidently Mr Bourchier does not think it takes experienced men to turn out cheese with the quality and finish so desired by the graders. As for his statement concerning three men working 1000 gallons, does not the award state that each man shall work 900 gallons? Surely no company would allow three men to get away with working 330 gallons a man. Besides, most vats made now are of 1000 gallons and one well-known factory has some well over that size and still expects one man to work one vat. Any authority on cheese-making will tell you that quality suffers when each man is required to work too great a quantity of milk. Is it not a reflection on the ability of the managers when Mr Bourchier says that the cause of our cheese deteriorating in quality is that the assistants are not doing their work correctly? So our cheese is the worst on the British market. Mr Bourchier should take time to look up the records of the London Dairy Show. If Mr Bourchier was once a dairy assistant and found it. such an easy job why is he farming now? If Mr Bourchier takes nine hours a day to milk 40 cows he must take up a fair amount of that time airing his views at the factory after his milk has been tipped, and getting in the way of the assistants who have the tubs to wash up. Would Mr Bouchier like to see the factories staffed by girls so that he could pay them 30/- a week or because

it would be easier for him to keep pace with a few lassies when he takes over the duties of an assistant? If dairy assistants are so well paid it is strange there are no retired assistants in existence, while there are numbers o:f retired farmers.—Yours, etc.,

A FIRST ASSISTANT. November 29, 1939.