Amalgamated Shearers' and Laborers' Union.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 5886, 6 March 1894, Page 4

Amalgamated Shearers' and Laborers ' Union.

An urgent meeting of the committee of the above Union was held last night for the purpose of receiving the agent's report re bis interview with the men engaged at Messrs Clark Bros.' threshing mills, at present working under the contract sy.-t-m in the Otmani district. Mr ffr-ei was el>.c f ed t-> the chair, and called on Mr Boreham (the agent) to give his report. Mr Borubam read his authority as agent, given under the direction of the chairman (Mr Seymour). In accordance with this he (Mr Borehani) interviewed Mr Clark's employees on Sunday morning, with the result that he found the men greatly dissatisfied with the system. Nothing was, however, done vn Sunday, and he returned to Oamaru and reported to the chairman. He was ordered to go out on Monday and call the men out, should Mr Clark refuse to pay them by the hour. He interviewed Mr Clark, and that gentleman refused to concede anything whatever. During the time he was conversing with Mr Clark, three of the men decided to leave, and demanded their tallies. He then found by the tallies that the men were only earning Is 8d per day, having }>oon at work four weeks, and only put through 4303 bushels of wheat at 10s per 1000. and 4485 bushels of oats at S* per 1000. Mr Maxwell: " That's only a little over Is Id per day, Mr Boreham, after 13s per week has been deducted for tucker." Mr Borebam: " That's so; but in order to get the public to believe how unfairly we arc dealt with by contractors I think it wise to deviate a little." However, when he found the men were only makiog say one or two shillings per day he thought they should act for themselves, and accordingly wired the secretary for instructions. The secretary replied : "Donot act rashly ; better consult committee to-night." Mr Boroham said the matter was in the hands of the committee to deal with, and he moved, seconded by 3lr Maxwell, •' That the men. be called oat, but that the Union incur no expense in consequence. Mr Nelson moved as an amendment, "That an advertisement be inserted warning all unionists not to work at mills where the contract system was in vogue." This was seconded by Mr Spencer. Mr Boreham 6»id ho would withdraw his motion if Mr Nelson would agree to add. "and paper* (jontainine advertisement be sent at Mr Clark's mill on Tuesday norninc.' This was agreed to, and a vote of thanks to Mr Green closed the meeting.