SHORTAGE OF SHEARERS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22591, 22 December 1938, Page 5

SHORTAGE OF SHEARERS

TO THB EDITOB OT THB PRESS. Sir, —"Sheepowner" is apparently missing the point entirely. Whether or no the industry can stand £2 a hundred is not the point. lam merely comparing the wage for shearing with the wage of the musterer, the auctioneer, or the rouseabout. The most important point of all is that the sliding scale was started at the end of a period covered by an award that left the shearer at a bad disadvantage. Wool at one stage covered by that award soared to 3s per lb, but shearing was at no time paid accordingly. If sheep are now neither heavier nor woollier than they were SO years ago, the flockmasters have made a poor job of breeding for these characteristics. If 4d is more than the industry can afford to pay for shearing a sheep, 8d is too much for selling one.—Yours, etc., C. S. BROOKER. December 21, 1938.

TO THJS EDITOR O* THE PRESS Sir, —Your correspondent, "Sheepowner," makes out a very good case—for himself. His remarks about the mortality of shearers are quite apt. Now, if "Sheepowner" had a cow or horse to sell, would he not want the highest price he could get, irrespective of the financial position of the buyer. Why, then, should not the shearer go out when the price for shearing is payable to him, and do other work when it is not. If "Sheepowner" has a mixed farm, and could make more money out of cropping, would he study the shearers and keep sheep. I think not. "With regard to his statement that the bogy about farmers not taking on learners is hot air. I can definitely contradict him. I took a mate to one shed, a good clean shearer, doing about 100 a day. When paying us off, the boss told me to come back next year, and to bring another mate—a faster man. If this is not discouraging learners, I do not know what is. I have shorn sheep in both islands, and the first question asked by intending employers is, "How many can you do?" In some cases, if you do not mention

a good tally you will not get a job. As for farmers all wanting to shear at the same time, this is perfectly true in some districts, and is one of the reasons why a shearer cannot get as big a run as he used to. Sheep to-day are certainly slower than in the war years, as there is a tendency to go in for heavier woolled sheep, and the bulk of the flocks are Corriedales. Also, his remark about shearers not I being satisfied is uncalled for. Whoever heard of a satisfied farmer? He is as extinct as the moa.—Yours, etc., W.A.R. December 20, 1938.

TO TEI EDITOR O* THE PRESS. Sir, —In reply to "Sheepowner" regarding the shortage of shearers, I should like to point out to him one or two things telling why there is a shortage of men for this so-called "lucrative occupation." First, regarding learners. A few years back, especially during the depression, when a shearer wrote to the station-owner for a pen he 'was asked how many sheep he could shear a day. If he could shear only about 40 or 50 a day he was not wanted; and this had a lot to do with young men not learning or following on this "lucrative occupation." ! "Sheepowner" states that if a census was taken of the age of shearers a big proportion of them would be between the ages of 60 and 70. As a shearer travelling round sheds for the last 15 years I beg to differ from him on that point. Each year fewer and fewer of these old men are shearing, as "Sheepowner" would also find out :f he travelled round different sheds. Regarding sheep being harder now than they were 20 years ago, one has only to look up the statistics to see for oneself that sheep to-day are clipping pounds more wool a sheep than they were 20 years ago. The result is slower and harder sheep, as we all know that it is the wool that holds the shearer Now about the pay of shearers. "Sheepowner" says that there is a heavy mortality among shearers this year on account of the price of shearing dropping from 34s s hundred to 31s. He has got these figures a bit muddled up. I venture to say that if shearing were £2 a hundred it would not be too well paid, as the weather plays too big a part in it to make a very profitable occupation of it now. Take this year, for instance. Picture a married man with a large family, out shearing, averaging only a little over two days a week on account of the vagaries of the weather. Regarding shearing being a healthy occupation, you have only to look at a shearer after a hard season's shearing to see what it is like. He finishes up bow-legged, with a bent back and with a sallow look on his face; and if you can tell me that it is a healthy occupation, I miss my guess. In conclusion, if the present Government stops in power much longer "Sheepowner" will again have to take up the tongs and go out and try to get his 100 a day. I will not have the privilege of shearing with him as I think I am getting too old for the job.—Yours, etc., * SWEET 38. December 21. 1938.

10 THE EDITOR OT THE TRESS Sir, —I have read some "propaganda" about shearers being in short supply this season. If that is so, I should like those concerned to explain why the recent catalogue of wool, 24,000 bales, on December 12, was fully booked up long before the closing date of the sale. Further, the next sale, which is not till January 30. is already booked up and closed, with a carryover of 8000 bales to the March sale. The above suggests a total of 56,000 bales of wool now in stores. From that I cannot see how there could be any great shortage of shearers, and the men who sheared the above 56,000 bales of wool are now available for further shearing Regarding learners. I should like to that the space available on many of the farmers' sheds will not permit of enough room for learners to practise on sheep. We further know that the sheepfarmer wants practical shearers to do his sheep.—Yours, etc., WOOLCLASSER. December 21, 1938.