SHEARERS' PAY.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20647, 9 September 1932, Page 13

SHEARERS' PAY.

DISPUTE UNSETTLED. INDEPENDENT ARBITRATOR SUGGESTED.\ ' _ - .4 (FRXSS 4SSDOATIOH XSLBSBUfJ . BLENHEIM, September 8. .',' The Conciliation Commissioner'{M* w « - Newton) sat to-day to tea* tie • Marlborough shearers' dispute. Mr. W. H. Nicholson" represented the employers, and Mr A. Cook the workers. . The agreement proposed by the employers differed only in the clauses relating to rates of pay from the counter- t proposals of the employees, which, were * identical with the New Zealand shearers and shed hands' award made in October, , 1931. In a memorandum added to that award, Mr Justice Prazer said: "All members of the Court Tecognise that the present position of the wool-growers requires a reduction of the rates hitherto ruling. Because of thiß circumstance the. present reductions have, been made. The employers also proposed that the agreement, if reached, should apply, until May, 1935, while the employees, asked that it should operate/for one year. . \ ' . A special, feature of the, employers terms was that'they desired the rates of pay to be on a sliding scale, this scale to be adjusted to provide for rises iu wool values in the ratio provided in the 1928-1931 shearers' and shed hands' agreement. The rates actually stated in their terms were to be the minimum, and adjustments were to provide that the rate should reach 30s a 100 (with shed hands' rates in proportion) when wool values equalled those in the 192728 season. The discussion, which was earried on for a couple of hours, was at times somewhat strenuous. During its progress the workers reduced their demand for, shearers to 19s, while the employers offered 18s, with other rates in proportion. Ultimately an adjournment' was made to enable the parties to consider the proposals and counter-proposals. Union's Proposal. On resuming, Mr Cook announced that though the discussions had revealed that the parties were still a long way apart, the workers were anxious to reach a settlement in the interests of the industry as a whole. There seemed to be only one way of reaching an agreement. The workers therefore suggested that the dispute should be submitted to an independent arbitrator. The employers refused to accept the proposal, as affairs in the industry were in. such a critical state that they were not prepared to delegate their interests to anyone outside it. Finally it was decided that it be formally recorded that no agreement had been reached at Blenheim, but that Mr Cook should submit his proposal in writing send that it should be .placed before the sheepowners, of the Dominion in time for a I decision to be available at the meeting I of the Conciliation Council in -Dunedin [on September-21st. _„ ■'■; „ ."-y