SHEARERS' ACCOMMODATION ACT

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 260, 27 July 1908, Page 3

SHEARERS' ACCOMMODATION ACT

THE NORTHERN POINT OF VIEW. HARASSING PROPOSALS. ( Tho farmers' representatives . on the j Hawke's Bay Employers' " Association hare (says our special : Napier correspondent)- | arawnup a criticism of the proposod Shear- ] ers' Accommodation Act, 1908, and it will • : bo brought under-tho notice of the Labour i - Bills Committee,-to whom tho proposed Act j has been referred. "' ; i Tho - criticism- says:— I "There ' is /much-, in- ; ■ this Act that.would b'e extremely : harassing : \to owners' of small sheds' employing not more ; than four shearers —a class deservedly eri- ( couraged by . the Closer Settlement Act. There j ■is another important:,point which,.r.equires ( L-; much , ooncidoration,; namely,'that many of < ■ tho proposed regulations are .not practicable ( or oven desired by. the. workers; districts ; like Hawke's 'Bayand Poverty Bay; where j - Maori shearers aro *, employed/ it; can scarcely i bo suggested that-they'should.'not be .em- ( ployed, but it!appears tb- us that., the pro- t . posed Act as a whole has been compiled for ( the benefit .entirely of white'shearers, in large j 'districts, moro .especially 'in the ;South Is- t land, where the conditions.,aro not; in any- -j way similar to'those in the North". ,TVe feel c sur6 that 'theproposed regulations .will bo c - strongly.' opposed by' .the' small .sheepfariners '. and;' settlers, who (will easily ! see the. cert tainty that 'thW' passing. of. the..Act in' the 6 ■ form-.prbposedifiwiil put- ; them to considitfable t ■ and unnecessary; expense, and at. a .time when \ the' outlay of additional capital might bo-.in- [ . convenient'and embarrassing. The customs t and. inclinations of • the Maori.'shearer-havo ' ( ; been /overlooked or iigriored.s 'As,'a whole, .'we [ consider.thai theTnajq'rity/of the 1 proposed _rc- t gulations are''superfluous,. especially jn view s " 'of the fact' that mqst' ; of'.the'neoessary. regu- j lations' and.restrictions are'already, provided t for in many.districts by,the! injdustrialHajvards c and agreements' with "shearers' 'now.' in force, t