SHEARER'S QUARTERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 77, 1 April 1913, Page 8

SHEARER'S QUARTERS.

UNIONIST COMPLAINTS. EVASIONS OF THE ACT. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Monday. The operation of the Shearers' Accommodation Act was the principal subject of representations made to the Minister for Labour (the Hon. W. F. Massey) to-day by a deputation from the Shearers' Conference. The deputation was introduced by Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh, M.P.

Mr. Townsend said there was a great deal of dissatisfaction with the accommodation provided for shearers. The Act applied only to places where six or more workers were employed, and the deputation urged that it should apply to places where any workers were employed, lie considered that a room should be provided for every four men. On the East i Coast, he added, there were stations where the 40 or 50 men employed had to sleep in the same room. Another speaker said that at one station .dogs had been kept in the men's shed during the off-season. Mr. McKae said that during a tour of Poverty Bay he did not find one shed which complied with the requirements of the Act. Maoris, he added, had been used for the purpose of suppressing labour organisation, as at Waihi and Huntly. Mr. Massey: You are not justified in saying that. You should leave that alone. Mr. Mcßae: I must do that to bring pressure to bear. Mr. Massey: I simply say that statement is not correct. I have a report here from one of our officers who was sent to report on what was taking place. Mr. Mcßae: According to reports in the papers, Maoris have been used as arbitration!sts, and I maintain that there are not 20 Maoris who know anything about the Arbitration Act. Mr. Massey: I presume a Maori has a right to join a union if he feels so inclined. Mr. Mcßae agreed, but said it seemed to him that the squatters were using the natives as an argument against- the Accommodation Act, and not providing accommodation for them. In answer to a question the Minister said that v the law made no difference between Maoris and Europeans, and the Government had no intention of doing so. Several other instances of inferior accommodation were given by other members of the deputation, and in answer to a question a member of the deputation said that the instances were mostly sheds where Maoris are employed. Mr. Massey: "I asked the question because this cannot be allowed to rest where it is. I am going to have it thoroughly inquired into—probed to-the; very bottom. (Hear, hear.) In his reply to the deputation, Mr. Massey said he would have the whole question inquired into, with a view to seeing that the Act was complied with. An inspection ought to be made before shearing began. .Regulations regarding the accommodation for general labourers were being revised, and would be gazetted in a few days. He saw no reason why police constables could not efficiently inspect the shearers' accommodation. Ha agreed with the suggestion that a certificate should be affixed by the inspector to any premises which he passed as satisfactory.