HAWERA HOSPITAL FARM

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1933, Page 3

HAWERA HOSPITAL FARM

COMMITTEE OPPOSES LEASING. REDUCTION IN WAGES DISCUSSED. The economies of the Hawera Hospital Board’s farm were discussed by the board yesterday. It was decided to defer consideration of the farm committee’s report, which advocated retention of the property with economy in administration, as there was not a full attendance. The committee discussed the Health Department inspecting accountant’s report regarding the farm’s activities and the question of leasing it and reported that it thoroughly reviewed the receipts and expenditure of the farm for the year 1932-33. Provided the price of /the milk had been reduced to 9d a gallon and that of the cream to Is a pint, the actual loss for the year would have been £73 instead of the shown profit of £67. The committee was not in favour of leasing the farm, but recommended that the farm manager be asked to accept a reduction in wages per week, and, if he were not agreeable to that, the position be advertised at £1 less a week. The committee further recommended that, until further advances, fl.e price of milk be charged at 9d a gallon, cream at Is a pint and bacon at the ruling wholesale rate. Messrs S. J. Bennett, W. G. Simpson and A. L. Campbell advocated the retention of the farm. Mr. Simpson doubted 2 it would be a, payable proposition and Mr. Bennett said the quality of the produce bought by the hospital might not be so good. Mr. E. Gifford supported the recommendations and said the farm manager was better paid for his work than any farmer in the district, - Messrs Bennett, Simpson and F. Gillanders opposed the reduction in wages as they considered it unfair to single out one man. Mr. Gillanders said that if a cut was made it should apply to all the board’s employees, and he opposed the idea of a further general cut. The chairman (Mr. J. S. McKay) said the farm manager’s position had nothing to do with the remainder of the staff. He was in a totally different position because the hospital could buy milk more cheaply elsewhere. If that were so, Mr. Simpson contended, the board should lease the- farm. The board was not, however, assured that this would pay. Mr. Bennett said he would not take on the work and responsibility at the wages. He did not like the discrimination. Tile gardener had a better job.