SHEARERS' CONFERENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 14638, 7 August 1911, Page 2

SHEARERS' CONFERENCE.

- Conference haVio concraded "■Ttkqir «i*ißK» a* WelKogton. i&ja official . Jwpart* xjf tie proceedings has been sup* 'J&Uf&. 'lt states: ;• TJ» «OQMk supplied bv the la±e general - stcxetery aWetPihai the. Canterbury ,' members totalled 1420, Wellington 974, fearo 755, Marlboroßch 450, and GwfcjHwand East Cairt 286; total, 3,589. - The election of officers resulted as fol low*:—President. Mr A. J. Kins;: viceBtwsidents—Messrs Eooa. TownseSd, and M<HEsn; general returning officer, Mr J; M'iSren; trustees —Messrs Townsend ana C Johnston; Finance Committee—Messrs ' Purvis King. a»d Fitzgerald; representatives on the- executive cf the Federal ton of Labor—Messrs Kmg, W. Johnstone, and Laracv ; representatives on tho Newspaper Boartt-Messrs (~ Johnston and Laracy. The following wohilions were carTied : Thai ml* 53, prodding for the appointment of organisers, be adhered to. That tho balance-sheet be pruned and copies distributed to the shearing sheds. That shed representatives receive 5 per cent, commission on the sale of ..- Thai members holding more than one pen in sheds starting on or about tne "Eiime date be fined. - That inspectors other than police b© Mpointed to inspect the accommodation. That contributions for hospitals, etc., sfcould be sent through the union. That when shearers are engaging stand tne words "£1 per hundred" bo inserted in the engagement in lieu of "award rates." That rule S9 in regard to wide cut combs and cutters be strictly adhered to. That the representation at the conference remain as at present provided for jn the rules of the association. That instead of a plebiscite being taken on the question of secession from the Federation of Labor, a plebiscite be taken in the shearing season to ascertain if the members of the association approve of the policy and general conduct of the 'Maoriland Worker,' or otherwise; and that this conference decide that the present subscription of 10s for shearers and 5s for shed hands will not allow of the association paying mere than Is per member per annum to tho Federation of The following Temifc was sent in by the Canterbury Branch:—"That a manifesto be, issued to members from the conference that the union rate for shearing be £1 per 100, and that this price be strictly adhered to."—lt was resolved that the general secretarv be instructed to seek legal advice from" Mr O'Regan, solicitor, re the. issuing of a manifesto stating that the conference of shearers' delegate* pledged themselves unanimously not to become workers within the meaning of the Arbitration Act, at leas than 2Cs per 300 for shearing, and strongly urged all members not to become workers under the shearers' award and the Arbitration Act, at less than 20s per 100 during the coming reason. It was urged that inasmuch as no shearing was being done now the members of the association were not workers within • the meaning cf the Act. la order to be "workers" within the meaning cf the Act, members must be actually emp.oyed ;n the industry at the particular nnte when they were considered tc be workers, and that therefore by issuing ruch a manifesto before shearing operations commenced the association were not acting m con Graven I ion of the " strike clause." At a later stage iir Cyßegan's letter of advice was received, expressing the opinion that the association's contentions in this respect were sound in law-—i.e., that obviously there could be no discontinuance of empWment fill employment had commenced. S6 long as the union did not in their manifesto counsel a discontinuance of shearing after shearing had actually commenced they were on safe legal ground. Jlx Laracy was appointed general organising secretary at £4 1&> per week: -with permission to render what assistance lie could in regard to getting advertiee"ments for the ' Maoriland Worker,' and to procure at his own expense such clerical assistance as he needed when absent from and that the bead office of the Shearers' Association he iti. Christ- ■ . " ' It was resolved that the nest conference be held at Wellington. 'The balance-sheet for the 'Maoriland " "Worker' from September, 1910, to 28th February,'l9ll. whilst under the control of the Shearers' Association, was received and adopted. 'The balance-sheet showed that 4,000 copies of tho paper had been sold to miners and 4,000 to shearers at Zd per copy per month, and that thesa safe, with other feubsenptiotns and donations, xiit a net proht on the six months' operations of £9B, which was deducted in equal parts from the sale money of tho miners and shearers. The conference placed on record their approval of the manner in which Mi* laracy conducted the shearers' dispute, and of the stand taken by the executive to get the Tat© of £1 per hundred paid to ehearers.