FLOCK HILL WET SHEEP DISPUTE

Maoriland Worker, Volume 11, Issue 475, 21 April 1920, Page 3

FLOCK HILL WET SHEEP DISPUTE

Robert Kirk li;* 3 handed (he following statement to the Head Office: "I wish to contradict the misstatements made by Mr. Bashford regarding the Flock Hill wet sheep dispute. It started to rain at four o'clock pn Sunday morning and did- not cease till eight o'clock on Monday, morning. The sheep were put in the shed and tried at one o'clock. Ten shearers voted them wet and two dry. Bashford was one that voted them dry. Th»y were turned out at two o'clock and put in again at six. They had four hours to dry in mild muggy weather, and they were -merino sheep. A vote was taken next morning and it went six to five. I then voted and made the vote even. The manager Milliken said he knew they were not dry, but he would not turn them out again. J. Moore, R. McLelland, W. McLelland, and I told Milliken before we left the shed that they were too wet for us to. shear, and wo walked out of the shed and went to tho dining room. Shortly after Milliken came in and said, 'Either go and shear those sheep or go down the road." Wo went —down the road. Bashford went on shearing with the rpat. There were only four of. us in the dining room when Milliken told us to shear or go. Bashford and bis mates knew wo were sacked when ,we came in for breakfast —they hung their heads and would not speak. One learner named Alex Lamb, when he heard that we were sacked, packed up and left with us. This statement gives the facts, and they will be borne out by any of the above-named men. I think it is a pity that the Union tolerates such men as Bashford within its ranks. I trust you will print the whole of this in the C.W.P."

The Head Office hopes that tho above will satisfy Mr. Kirk. Some of his language is slightly too emphatic, and tho law compels us to water it down.