SHEARERS' ACCOMMODATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15262, 28 March 1913, Page 5

SHEARERS' ACCOMMODATION

STRONG ALLEGATIONS.

INADEQUATE QUARTERS PROVIDED. [BY TKLEQEAPH—PBBS3 ASSOCIATION."] Wellington, Thursday. The Shearers' Conference was continued yesterday, Mr. Cooper presiding. It was resolved that a deputation should wait upon the . Minister for Labour, urging the j necessity of amending the Arbitration Act to enable Dominion < unions > to be registered. Various matters with regard to accommodation were debated at length, and a committee set up/to report to the conference next day. ii' Mr. McLeod " (organiser) said he' had found in Hawke's Bay in the.course of his [organising work whares that contained no bunks at aIL The workers were huddled together at night on the floor, and this not in one place, but in many places. Mr. Cooper (president) said he had . seen them sleeping thus on open verandahs. Mr. McLeod, continuing, said that the local constable had ; reported, favourably in regard to one place, and yet it had been a wreck for years past. „ The sky. could be seen through the roofi' There was not. a single bunk in the place, and the whole building was anchored to the ground with wires to keep it in place. At another the roof let in rain like a sieve. • That was the conditions of things in many : places in Hawke's Bay. His duties had taken him through the Waitotara, Stratford, and Taranaki districts, and in some cases the

accommodation was even worse than described previously. At one place, in a place about 14ft by ; 14ft, eight' Maoris cooked their food and slept. There - was not a bunk in the place, merely a few dry. ferns thrown on the floor. He knew that these evils existed, and that the present inspection was a pure faroe.' : Mr. Orayndler said he had had as a shearer similar experiences. He had been shearing at a station where 46 men were in one hut, and though the bad conditions were reported to the inspector, the men got no satisfaction. At another place, within six miles of Masterton, the accommodation was scandalous. In another case of bad accommodation thejre was just * thin partition between sleeping and eating places, and within Bft was a drain of refuse, and dags, and dead sheep. Everything was left there for days sometimes. The .question of registry .offices was de.bated at length, ana the conference adjourned. v..' - • ..." .