Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers

1946 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Leinster Leader, 12.10.1946

A statement issued by the Trades' Union Council, in support of a demand for higher wages in agriculture, is both misinformed and misleading. That statement asserts that while agricultural prices have advanced by 106 per cent, since 1938, agricultural wages have only risen by 60 per cent in the same period. But the real facts are that agricultural prices of 1938 were on a par with the basic prices of 1913/14, that is, the basic prices of 1938 were the same level as the basic prices of 1913/14. But the agricultural wage, like all wages, had increased by 300 per cent in the interval, and in fact the real figures from 1913/14 to 1946 were an advance in agricultural prices of 106 per cent and an advance in wages of 360 per cent.

The Labour statement further asserts that agriculture is receiving ten million pounds annually from public funds in relief of rates, subsidies, etc., to be exact, four and a half millions rates remission, and five and a half millions subsidies. Again the facts are: in 1913/14 the average rate on agricultural land was 2/- in the pound; in 1945 the rate with the four and a half millions remission is average 14/- in the pound, an advance in rates of 700 per cent.

As to the five and a half millions subsidies. There is no such money. What are called subsidies are advanced prices on flour, sugar, butter, etc., to meet the price of beet, wheat, butter, etc.

The farmers of the Twenty-six Counties buy and pay one half of the flour, sugar, etc., and this pays one half of that five and a half millions of so-called subsidy, which leaves us with two three-quarter millions to ensure the nation's food requirements of flour, sugar, bacon, butter etc.

It is surely something to be proud of, that the total demand by agriculture to ward off starvation during the emergency was two and a half millions of pounds a year, or less than £1 per head of the population each year. It did not shoe the horses.

The quarrel about wages is not between the farmer and his man, but between the man and industry. The weekly rate in industry is 109.4 shillings a week for 40 hours, as against 48/- in agriculture for 50 hours. The agricultural labourer pays that 109.4 shillings as does the farmer, and the real question is – where is the extra money going to come from?

The export market won't pay it, and if the home market refuse to pay, well, there appears to be no solution. In any case, the agricultural worker, the Trade Unions and the Government can worry it out between them.

Elizabeth F. Bobbett, issued on behalf of the Irish Farmers' Federation.