DAIRY FACTORY COSTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1930, Page 2

DAIRY FACTORY COSTS.

(To The Editor.) Sir. —Your correspondent •‘Butterfat” displays a remarkable knowledge of the manufacturing -side of the industry. His mournful appeal for sympathy must surely touch the heartstrings of cveiy dairy worker in the province. Now Mi. ‘“Butterfat,” can you tell me of a single factory in Taranaki where the meii_ receive an average weekly wage of £6 as vou claim ? I think that you will find £4 5s to £4 7s is nearer the mark, as the majority of employees arc casual hands drawing the munificent salary of £4 Is for a seven-day week of 60 hours —equivalent to Is 4Jd an hour. I. notice you base your yearly calculations on the assumption that all are permanent hands. Owing to the seasonal nature of the industry, these casuals are employed from three to eight months only and are thrown out in the slack periods of the year, when othei woik is scarce. Another point to remember is that wages represent only a small portion of expenses, and even if employees were to forego all wages, it would not increase the payout by Id per lb. butterfat. . . We were not invited to participate in the general prosperity of the boom peiiod, but with payouts approaching 2s 6d per lb. our wages remained in the vicinity of £3 Ils per week. “As ye sow so shall ye reap.” Why not blame the mad speculation of the post-war period instead’of attributing the present state of' affairs to the agency of Moscow? , As regards cream grading, it must bo remembered that the regulations were adopted at the instance of the producers and have proved their worth by t'hc rise in quality. Of course all new measures have their opponents, but it is significant'that suppliers of good cream do not condemn grading. I am informed that it is general practice to churn the various grades of cream separately in New Zealand. Now IMr. “Butterfat” we know that prices are bad, but why not leave the car in the shed and not visit town so frequently? This would bo more beneficial thau perpetual squealing—l am, etc., •SYMPATHETIC.