FARMERS' AND EMPLOYERS' CLUB.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XV, Issue 4725, 21 July 1890, Page 4

FARMERS' AND EMPLOYERS' CLUB.

A largely attended meeting of settlers, with several employers of labor, was held In connection with tho above Club at the County Council Chambers on Saturday afternoon. Mr John Johnston presided. After the confirmation of the minutes of las: meeting, the saver.il reports from the canveners of meetings held in the district were handed in by the delegites. These showed tha*, with the exception of the meeting called at Otipopo and Papakalo, which fslled through the nights being stormy, all tho otners had been well attended, at>d resulted In many settlers joining tho Clob. The Chairman said thpy were all ware, no doubt, of the obj.c.a for which the meeting had been called. Tho action of the Labor Unions had mado it necessary that employers of labor should carefully consider their position and arrive at some definite understanding a3 to the courae to be pursued. However, the matter was in the bands of tha meeting, and he invited anyone present to express their views. The following letter was handed in by Mr Boreham. Secretary to the Shearers' and Laborers' Uoion : Oamara, Jaly lS',b, IS9O. j To the Secretary Farmers' aad iDiployers' Club, Oam»ru. f>iß, —Will you kindly inform your Club that I have some Important statements to make to that bjdy re the Shearers' and Laborers' Union also, that I would liko to make snch statements personally. Antlcip»tlne that the C ub will admit me for the purpeseof making sucb statements, I am, yours fraternally, i. Boreham, Secretary. Mr Murdoch moved that Mr Boreham be admitted. Mr M'Auly seconded tho motion. The Chairman eaid the meeting could do aa it pleased, but personally, he thought it would not be advisable to admit Mr Boreham, as they had mot to disensa matters ai employers. j Mr Connell said he strongly objected to the writer being admitted. They had heard far too much of Mr Boreham lately. Mr W. Stringer jnoved that the meeting proceed with the business for which it had been called. This waa seconded by Mr Gemmell. Mr Connell eaid a mistake had been made by the conveners of severel meetings in not confining snch to the employers. What was Mr Borehtm'a position J They were making too much of hia position as secretary of the Shearers' and Lihorers' Union, which, he understood, had not been aliilia'.ed to tho Maritime Council, and was accordingly not recognised by the Council that ho was aware of. Would Mr Boreham or his Committeo allow any employer to attend their meetings. Ha understood from some of the workina meu that Mr Boreham had no 10-ru* standi in what ho was doing. Mr Eiston said he presumed he was one of thoaa referred to by Mr Connell as making too much of Mr Boreham. As chairman of the Pakeurl meeting, ho had left tho question entirely with thoso present aa to whether they would admit Mr Boreham, and it bad been decided in the affirmative.

Mr J. JR. Elder oaid the meeting held at Maheno had heard what Mr Borenam bad to say. and after he had left they hr»d discussed the lo? of the Union. It waa generally thought by thoße present that were tho prices of wages aet forth in the log enforced it would be a serious blow to tho wool scouring Industry of the district. Tho meeting, he believed, thought that too much was made of Mr Borebam and his labor log. The motion and amendment wero I hen pat to the meeting, and the latter carried almost unanimously. Mr Morton said that at the meeting cilled by him at Kakanul it had been decided that a union of employers was necessary to protect their Interests. The present wa3 the worst year of any to start the agitation. loatead of wages being Increased, they required if anything cuttiog down, aa oate and wheat were lower now than they had been for tbß past twenty years. Mr Gemmell said he understood at the last meetics of the Club that they should consider the log of the Shearers' and ! Laborers' Union, and then frame a log of their own which would ba fair to both sides. Mr Williams aaid he understood that a meeting had not been cillcd at Walareka, as it had beaa thought advisable to wait and ace what waa proposed to bo done by that meeting, in order to fcavo something definite to lay before tho settlers. Mr Little aaid he thought some bungline had occurred In refaronca to tho advertisement consequently the meeting at Ngapara bad not been so largely attended as it otherwise would Inve been. Tbe log waa discussed, but nothing definite was done, aa it wa3 thought better to leave tho matter to the present meeting. Mr G. Stringer stated what had been done at Korow. One point held by the meeting was that the log of prices issued by the Union would In a large measure affect araail contracts on which the village settlers chiefly deponded for employment during their apare time. Mr Altcbison moved that the members of tho Club take no further octlon with reference to tho present log, and await any new proposals tho Union may have to make. It appeared to him that no one knew who had drawn up tbe log and practically It was withdrawn. They wore In a position to meet the laborers, and he moved as above. Mr Stevenson seconded the motion.

Mr W. Strinaer sold tbey were now In a positun to say what was a fair wage to pay for tho respective classea cf work, and the best thing waa for tho meeting to decide what a fair wage bstween masters and m?n, and ha moved as an amendment that the Clab draw np a log of pric:a of labor. He did not wish to see the matter left aa at present. Samo misunderstanding having arisen aa to Mr Altbchlson's motion, tbe mover explained that he bad no intention of resting aa they were. His motion merely d«aU with the log of pric33 of tho Union.

Mr Elder aaid they ahould go farther afield with Ibo present movement, and let Is embrace, if possible, the whole of the Middle Island. Ho was of opinion that tbo aaltation anion:; tho laborera was confined to a few, and did nut embraco the geoeral budy of farm hand?. Mr Conoell suggested that a Committee ba appointed to draw up a log of prices, this Comajitteo to fnclud-j employera, ai well as settler?. What with tbe Wharf Labours' Union, the Carters', Storemon'a, Shearers', and other Uoiona, they wero " between the devil and tho deep sea.' It was absolutely necessary that employers should also combine to protect themselves, and were they In accord in what they did be bad no fear that matters would not result satisfactorily. In tho moautime, ho did not see much nao in potting thamselvea •boat until the Unions were affiliated. Mr Murdoch said that In the past there had not been much trouble between the men and their employera, and now it waa ooly threatened. It waa aaid that the agitation among railway servants meant 150,000 added to charges of working the railways. Twine manufacturers had also to incraasa tbe prica of their goods, and other Industries were also coating more to work. All had to come out of the land. Tbo time would come when tbe farmera and their men would find it necessary to pill shoulder to shoulder to have pricea redccdd. Mr Williams said they ahonld not show their hand. Tbe Union had done bo, acd now were obliged to withdraw. Mr Aldrich named tho mooting that

they took far took light a view of the matter. They bad samples of what could bs done by the workmen through the Maritime Council In the Shag Point and shipping disputes. If they had not a log of the Union to discuss, they aoon would have. It was neceaaary that they should appoint a committee to watch their interests.

After discussion, Mr Stringer withdrew his amendment, and Mr Aitchisoa's motion was carried. At this stage the following memo was handed in by Mr Boreham : Sib, —My letter to you of to-day's date rot being noticed by your Clnb, I am in cjEscqaeace reluctantly compelled to inform you that my Union will fix a log of prices io the ab3ence of farmers and employers; acd force such log to the best of our ability. S. Boreham, Seoretiry, Mr A. Thomson said they were merely dealing with the question as affectlDg farmers. What about all the other branches of trade—wore they not to be consulted? Mr C. W. Rjld proposed that a Committee be formed to organise the Clob and to communicate with the various bodies throughout New Zealand with the object of forming an Association 5 and that a general meeting of employers of the district be called in Oamarn. Mr Chapman secanded the motion, which was carried. Messrs C.jqdoll :.nd Aldrlch were appointed to call the meeting, In accordance with the motion. This completed the business.