SHEEPOWNERS CONFER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3098, 31 May 1917, Page 8

SHEEPOWNERS CONFER

SHEARERS AND MILITARY SERVICE EMPLOYERS NOT ASKING EXEMPTION A meeting of tho Now Zealand Sheepowners' Federation was held in the KmIjloyers' .Federation Booms yesterday morning. Mr. D. D. Acland, president of the Shoepowners' Federation, was in tho chair, 'i'he meeting dealt with business of a routine nature. The following resolution was adopted by the meeting, on the motion of Sir James Wilson:— * That tho Now Zealand Mieepowuers' Federation wishes in intimate to tho .Military Scrvico Boards of the Dominion that tho sheepowncrs of New Zealand do not desire 'that shearers in tho First Division be exempted in overy case on the plea of being necessary to an essential industry. We desire to see the war finished, and while certain agricultural and pastoral worKexu arc necessary for maintaining production, and the number of shearers is limited, yet so far as shearing is concerned tho older men and strong lads under military age can undertake the work. That in all cases where exemption is applied for the opinion of tho Efficiency Board Trustees bc^obtained. SHEARERS' DELEGATES ATTEND EMPLOYEES DECLINE A CONFERENCE. In tho afternoon, in accordance with arrangement, representatives of the workers met the sheepowners 'with a request that terms and conditions for a new arrangement for shearers and shed hands should bo disonssed. Tho employers' representatives were not satisfied that thoso in attendance were genuinely representative of the shearers and shed bands' unions throughout the j;ominion. After discussion, they decided upon tho following resolution, which was handed to tho workers' representatives:— That this jncoting of representatives of tho New Zealand Sheepowners' Federation, haing considered tho question of a conference with representatives appointed by tho A.P.U. ' to discuss terms and conditions of emploment of shoarers and eh-cd hands, have decided they cannot agree to tho request, but suggest that the shearers' unions in tho Tarious industrial districts should submit their claims to the employers' unions in tho several districts, and that, failing sottlomont in that way, bo dispute should bo dealt with under tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Tho federation representatives regret exceedingly that ther cannot discuss tho terms of employment except with a body of men which, they feel assured is genuinely representative of tho shearers' unions of the Dominion,