“MERE BLUFF”

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6185, 16 September 1921, Page 5

“MERE BLUFF”

MR GRAYNDLER’S THREAT

HOW IT IS VIEWED IN HAWKES

HAY

• AN ILL-ADVISED ACTION

NAPIER, Sept. 15. In conversation with a reporter, Mr W. C. Prime, secretary to the Hawkes Bay Sheep-owners’ Union, gave indication of the feelings of farmers of this district in reference to the advice of the executive of the New Zealand Workers’ Union to shearers and shed hands to refrain from making arrangements under the Arbitration Court’s recent award.

“In our opinion,” said Mr Prime, “this threat, is absolute bluff. In the first place it is intended to throw dust in the eyes of the public by trying to make them think the shearers are being ill used and asked to accept ridiculously low rates of pay, whereas a great majority of the men realise that the rates are fully equivalent to those earned by other workers and higher than many of those engaged in the industry can stand. As a matter of fact, we know that the great majority of shearers, that is the actual workers and not the officials of the union, are more than satisfied with the award rates. In many parts of this district shearers are already ainxiousLy looking for work and have expressed themselves as perfectly willing to go ahead at the award rates. If Mr Grayndler’s threat were "intended seriously, all I can say is that he and the officials of the union were very ill-advised in their own interests. Their attempt to hold up shearing cannot succeed both for the reason already mentioned and by reason of the fact that so many farmers, on account of tlie financial stringency, are forced to do their own shearing. Mr Grayndler’s threat will probably he the means of inducing other farmers who are not actually forced to do their own shearing to now make arrangements to do ■so. The danger to Mr Grayndler’s union lies* in the fact that their action may induce many who otherwise would have employed shearers to do the work themselves.

“Quite a number of young farmers particularly among the soldier settlers,. who had not thought of doing their own shearing because it is generally accepted custom to employ shearers if they find they can get along without shearers mice will have learned to do work themselves and in future seasons will continue to do* so. My Grayndler is making a lot of the fact that wool prices show a tendency to rise. He quite overlooks the fact that the rises are comparatively small percentages, but, 'even though the rise were as much as 50 per cent., even that would not bring prices up to half what they were during the' commandeer or up to a payable level. For instance 50 per cent, on 4d only brings the price to 6d, whereas the commandeer price was probably Is 3d. The statement that farmers cannot afford to have shearing held up for a fortnight and that they would capitulate in a month was also wide of the mark. Even if a delay is likely l at present it would not matter. There is 'no desperate hurry to get the wool away to the sales on account of the surplus already on hand and, with, the market rising, a little, delay might he to the farmers’ advantage.”— P.A.

POSITION IN POVERTY BAY

NO LABOR SHORTAGE ANTICIPATED.

No trouble is expected to arise in this district with reference to labor for shearing. Prior to the making of thq award, many owners had received offers to do shearing at 20s per 100. Speaking to a Times reporter last night, a prominent pastoralist said that he was positive shearing would not be behindhand in this distriefc.Already his rams had been shorn,- and the shearers never asked him what rate he intended to pay. They had previously made an offer lower than the award, but, of course, he would not, in the circumstances, hold them to their offer. Whilst he reckoned that the award rates were on the high side, the sheep-owners would adhere to the rates, seeing that they had been made by the Court of Arbitration.