CONCILIATION BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 73, 19 December 1907, Page 3

CONCILIATION BOARD.

THE SHEARERS' DISPUTE. Tho Board of Conciliation will open the investigation of the' dispute between 1 the Wellington Shearers' Union of Workers and the employers at the Supremo Court building at Wellington on December 31 at 10.30 a.m., and when that is done will adjourn the sittings to the country, holding sittings at Masterton on January 13, Napier, January 15, Palmorston North', January 17, Wanganui, January 20. The hearing will be resumed at Wellington oh January 22 at 10.30 a.m.

Tho workers ask that the hours of shearing shall be from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., or from 5.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., with intervals for meals and "smokos." The price which thoy ask to bo fixed for shearing by machine or hand is £1 per 100, with rations. In cases where shearers find themselves tho price shall bo at tho rate of 2s. Gd. per 100 extra. The rate for stud sheep shall be as per arrangement. All sheep shall bo dagged. The price for shearing rams shall bo double tho ordinary rate. Once in oach week, on a day to be named by tho employer or his representative, the employer shall, at tho request of any shearer, pay him any sum, not; ■exceeding 75 per cent, of the net amount due to him. Such money may be paid by cheque or by order. In the event of a dispute arising as to wet sheep, the shed-manager may take a vote by ballot, tho persons entitled to vote being the shearers (with the exception of the shearers' representative, who shall not vote except in the case of a tio), the shed-manager, and wool-classer, the majority to rule: provided tho owner, in case he considers tho sheep too wet may turn them out. In the engagement or dismissal of men, no employer shall discriminate against members of the Union. One learner or improver shall be allowed to every ten or fraction of ten competent shearers.