FARMERS AND.LABOUR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 176, 27 July 1928, Page 7

FARMERS AND.LABOUR

CO-OPERATION WITH EMPLOYERS URGED DISCUSSION AT CONFERENCE I Per Press A*sociuLl_n. I WELLINGTON, July 25. The president ui tuc New Zealand Employers’ x ederatiuu, the Hon. T. S. vwvuu, attended the annual conference <jl tnc New Zealand Farmers’ I n;uu. lie i.upcd there wuul/1 in future be closer cu-operation between the body ac iepreseui.ciui ana the 1 aimers Union and uiher representative iarming organisations. ii the organisations look--d mure tu lac commuxi iiucresLs oi ail rather than to their individual interests more prosperity would result. Air E. b. Uuvven (Gisborne) uskcid wneuher there comd. not be an annual cuniercncc among tnc ±armors’ Union, blieepowners' 1 uueratiun and Employers' federation, ne icit sure the advisory board of his iederation would welcome any such, conicrence. said Mr \Vcsion, and nc wouiu bring tuc suggestion before the next meeting of the boauE

The secretary of the Alliance of Labour, Mr J. Roberts, said there was a lack uf relationship between farmers and workers in the town. Recognising that they would receive more worn according as to whether production among larmers increased the workers did tneir best in handling farmers’ produce on the waterfront, he saiii.if the producers had any complaint as to the way in which their produce was handled he would be gla/1 to have advice and assistance wnich might result in an improvement. The Labour movement wanted retention of compulsory arbitration. While recognising the right of farmers to organise the workers also insisted on their own right to organise to protect themselves and to organise their social status.

He was always in favour of settling disputes across the table rather than referring them to a third party, which often arrived at decisions that were not satisfactory to either, concluded Mr Roberts.

USE OF PETROL ON FARMS CONFERENCE OBJECTS TO ACT [ Per Press Association J WELLINGTON. July 26. The Government is to be asked to allow larmers a month in which to make application for a refund of motor spirit tax, the conference of the Farmers’ Union has decided. The conference objected to the following conditions in the petrol tax regulations: (1) That a user shall lose his rebate of tax should he use his tractor other than solely uii his own property’, even though he enters a neighbour’s property without using a public road; (b) that should a farmer emplov a contractor to do the ■work the contractor can obtain no rebate of the tax. This, it was claimed, penalised the farmer as the tax must be passed oj». Amendments arc to be sought to the Motor Vehicles Act of 1924 so tba farmers carting their own produce or farm requirements will be exempted from having to pay the heavy’ traffic license.