A DEADLOCK.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18917, 4 February 1927, Page 16

A DEADLOCK.

PAY FOR SHEARERS.

OWNERS AND EMPLOYEES CONFER.

After sitting in conference for an hour yesterday morning, representatives of the Slieepowners' Federation and the Shearers' Union, who had met to discuss the question of a flat rate for erutehing. reached a complete deadlock. The conference was recommended by Mr Justice I'razer. and the delegates represented the whole of New Zealand. Mr 11. D. Acland presided. The delegates were as follows: — Sheepowncrs: Messrs E. M. 1». Morten, E. Hav. L. R. C. Macfarlane, F. Peter, and W. 11. Nicholson (secretary). Shearers: Messrs A. Cook, (.'. K. Baldwin, B. Townsend, and A. Brown.

The Wellington' Shearers' Union applied for a flat rate for erutchers in 1023, and the judgment of the Arbitration Court was as follows: — "The Court has carefully considered the evidence, and lias come to the conclusion that owing to variation of soils, feed, climate, and weather conditions, classes of sheep, the nature of the crushing required by the owners, etc., it would be unfair to employers and workers to fix a flat rate for crutching. We arc of opinion that the difficulty might be got over by means of classification, but wc have not tho necessary material to enable use to make a classification. A somewhat similar difficulty presents itself with the machine experts. Wc have therefore decided to recommend the parties to discuss the matter in conference in connexion with the present shearers' dispute, with a view to having shearers, cruteliers, machine experts, and shod hands included in the award. This has been done in Australia, and the union's representative Indicated in his address that it would be desirable to have one award in New Zealand. This Court is prepared to consider the matter further when dealing with the shearers' dispute." • The shearers, said Mr Cook, were anxious that an agreement should be reached, and he asked the employers to explain their attitude in the matter.

The chairman: We will not agree to a flat rate. If we cannot reach an agreement wo will have to leavo it to the Court for decision. AVe cannot agrco to an arrangement which wo feel is against the interests of both owners and shearers. If the Court wishes to make an award, then the responsibility is on it, not on us. Mr Baldwin said that the conference should reach an agreement rather than go to the Court. Both sides knew their business, and surely a right solution could be found. There were ten men at the conference, said Mr Brown: all were acquainted with the work, and it was useless to go before three men who knew practically nothing about it. Mr Nicholson: It's a question whether the employees will not be worse off if a flat rate is fixed.

After some unavailing discussion, Mr Baldwin enquired if it was a fact that the employers' representatives had attended the conference with a determination to agree to nothing. The chairman said that the employers were not prepared to go any further than they had already gone. Mr Townsend asked if the Sheepowners' Union was willing to assist tho Shearers' Union in citing the employers outside the award who had stated their intention of not conforming with its claims.

The sheopowners, said the chairman, had assisted in the past. Tho question was one for the Clerk of Awards after tho award had been fixed. He would bring the matter up and see what could be done.

Referring again to the flat race question, Mr Cook suggested that a minimum flat rate should bo fixed. All other matters arising from special circumstances could bo left for agreement between employers and employees. "Offer us what you consider to be a fair flat rate, and wo will consider it," he concluded. "I'm afraid we can get no further,' v said the chairman, and the conference ended. .