The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, NOV. 14, 1876.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 177, 14 November 1876, Page 2

The Evening Mail.

TUESDAY, NOV. 14, 1876.

"Wortfctare thins*. an<i a drpp of Ink (alJinj upon » thought may prwttrce lhat which make* thoifctanda think-"

\ Toe squatters are beginning to find that their niggardly stubbornness in refusing the demands of the shearers is recoiling upon themselves, and the course adopted Ttry much like cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. The men have maintained a firmness and determination for which their masters had not bargained, and a good many of the ring who signed the compact with regard to the reduction regret having done so. One by one, the sheds are being thrown open to the men at the fair remuneration they ask, and if they remain true to themselves, the question will be soon set at rest. It was an excellent opportunity, and one too good to be lost, the gathering of the Wool Kings at the recent Show. There the campaign was planned, and the programme drawn up, to which each attached his

sign manual, and in the plenitude of their overwhelming egotism, they imagined that the affixing of their several autographs was the death-warrant of all hope for the men. We have heard, on the very best authority, that at the Levels shed, on the Canterbury side, some Maoris had actually commenced work at the reduced figure, but on learning the facts of the matter, I they at once threw th«ir lot in with the ; shearers, and refused to accept less than j their stipulated pric?. We do not by any means believe in setting class against class, but we imagine the score of gentlemen who banded themselves together, pledged to pay lint a certain price, seemed to be forgetful that the same course could be n-aorted to by the man. Were the shearers to form a and bind themselves to do no work for the signers of the document until all other sheds had been clear, d, and then only at an advanced rate of 223. G.l, itis just probable the result would be one upon which no calculations had been made. Finding that intimidation was of no avail, and tl.at the threatened lock-out had no terrors for the men, recourse has been had to falsehood, and reports have been most industriously spr.ad with a vieT of luring the men into an acceptance of the lesser rate. From the columns of the Guardian we take the following letter, written by a shearer at the Bendigo Reefs, in denial of a statement which appeared in the squatters organ :—"I write these few lines to you hoping you will contradict the statement of the Olu'jo Witness, to the effect that the Superintendent of Morven Hills had all his shearera engaged to shear for 16s. BJ. It is a contaminated falsehood. The fact is t'.;at he has the board about half-full on the conditions that he will pay the same for his shearing that the majority of squatters are giving in Canterbury and Otngo. If you arj a friend to the working man you w-ll tl.at he gets fair play, and that the falsehood I complain of has been published by designing men to deprive us of our just demands." Already the men have gained their point at Lear Down, Pudding Hill, Dr. Webster's (where the concession was given from the first, and without a murmur), Horse Gully, Wilson's, and yesterday Mr. Easto>", of Papakaio, engaged some hands at the £1 pw-r 100. There can be little doubt the men will ultimately be successful, and to be so they have only to be true to themselves, and be not led away by false and mendacious reports concocted for the purpose of misleading them.