GRAIN-WORKERS' DISPUTE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9134, 5 February 1910, Page 3

GRAIN-WORKERS' DISPUTE.

-o». Z\IEX WANT TO BE PAID BY THE HOUR. (Peg Press Association.) ASHBURTON, Feb. 4. The Guardian states that for some time past the general hands employed the threshing mills throughout 'the Ashburton County have been dissatisfied with their pay. which is computed on a quantity basis. Things arc very unsatisfactory from their point of view this year, owing to the lightness of grain and quantity of straw in the sheaf, and the work of aggregating the bushels is a task nearly double that of a year such as the last. The men hold that this should be recognised, and that they should be paid at so much per hour, rather than at so much per bushel as at present. The broken weather experienced during the past few weeks has brought the matter to a head, and as a specific result of a specially linrcmunerative day's work yesterday the. hands on a mill working in the Wnkanui district this morning made representations to the owner. The latter immediately saw the farmer whoso grain was being dealt with, and asked if he was agreeable to being charged on time instead of a quantity basis. On the farmer declining to take any steps which would have such an important bearing on the interests both of the county and Dominion grain,growers, the men at once stopped work, and the mill was left idle. It is understood that mill hands throughout the county are fairly united with regard to the broad principle of the question at issue, and that they consider they should be paid Is 3d per hour and find themselves. Developments arfe anticipated.