THE PRICK OF SHEARING.

Evening Star, Issue 12625, 3 October 1905, Page 7

THE PRICK OF SHEARING.

TO TUB BPITOII Sir,—The information the secretary of the. Otago and Southland Sheepowners' XJmoa (Mr J. T. Prain) gives you may be correct so far as it. goes, bnt it does not after tha truth of my statement to your reporter on Saturday last—viz., that I am under agree, roent to shear at three large sheds in tha North Otago district at the rate of His 8d par IQQ, »m >h«* wwtt if not ajL of the sta, tions in that district are going to give tint price for shearing' this coming season. It may be right that Mr Prain, as he says, "has received replies from ail members of his union in the Otago portion of the Wai> takj district.'' This duly s«p to show, so fax as J wa coneerpad, t&t there am a. number of ahappowners in that district who/ are oot members of Mr Praia's uriitm, In pioof of thj* J produce for your information-the eroded arapment wWeh you will chservo (team out what J have stated above. sad Mr Prain been satisfied to deal with my remarks re the prjoe of ftheaiwg, M » nnflwist myself I could not, on principle, take any scrum* objection; but he goes on to furtier inform you tfj(t for cheepowpars to pay/1.5a 8d per 100 wcitfd be a. contravention of tha Arbrtratioa Court award, "and would render either of the parties liable to such proceeding as th? Other sido might tftfea for breach of award." I confess tWS is indeed mfoccv tjoa f gr ma»»«nf orroation of a very nnvrel-1 come nature, were it trhe —but, on looking up the terms of the award, I find Mp Pram is laboring under a constitutes a breach of award in this respect. For his infarmaiioii. and that of the mem-J

ben of the gheenpwnwa' Union, I would like to point out thiMl&lpw iOO for shsMnng » the minimum pooatosd by the Qoujre, and not the m«imum. gbeepowßfflrs,,, vhetheo members of tto i sP*powners' If own or not, iray therero»-p«£;Snyprice above Jsi per. 100 they think proper, but eaunot pay uwier that price, »or omrtbe ahearar on -Ins Tart f r * moro, ;/TJh.»rs •* *- n, !>:r.-* i" ■ t ne~ •ward, however, thftt prohibits the*d»e«*; owner from'paying jpwe than ipa par «»; iiui are we, ou our.jyut. promoted uom asking for a greater rope. I therefore t*S.e it on myself to ask the gheepowners of Otago and Southland, on'rbehalf of my |e,Uowshearera, to advance'ua the extra Is oil per 100 and th'T« show the public that our squatters, at any rate, are not forgetful of their employees when wooi commands the price it does at present, and is likely to oommand for some time to om»p.—l aw, etc., &TBVB BOBBHA*. t October 2. [Mr Boreham has obowtt us written offers touching three large sheds -in North Otago to pay i»t tha rate of 16s 8d per hundred.—, Ed. E.S.]