THE SHEARERS' DISPUTE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10499, 6 July 1910, Page 2

THE SHEARERS' DISPUTE.

A COLONIAL AWARD ASKED FOR. By Telegraph. (Special to the Oamaru Mail.) Wellington, July 5. "'Wherever we have a large industry that is practically national in its character," said the member for Christchurch North, in the House of Representatives this afternoon, "every encouragement should be given to .bri?ig about not a series of provincial awards, but one award governing the industry throughout the Dominion." The debate which ensued resulted in bringing out an important point affecting the scope of trade unions. Mr Taylor raised the question of a Dominion award for shearers,- and indicated that the failure of the Workers' Federation to secure registration precluded the possibility of a Dominion award, which thus laid them open to a series of attacks by the Employers' Federation in the shape of citations before the Arbitration Court which would gradually sap the sertngth, of the unions. Unless the Government did something promptly the shearers would be engaged in a long fight and a long list of appeals by the employers. There should be a uniform award operating from one end of New Zealand to the other. —A Sovereign a Hundred. — Mr Taylor continued that according to a letter held from the Secretary, the Workers' Federation was willing xo accept the Wellington partial agreement provided a rate of 20s a hundred was paid. This rate was already paid by 80 per cent, of the employers. The sheep farmers at present intended to cite the unions in the various provinces, and they would try the province where the lowest rate prevailed, so that they could quote the rate in following disputes. The workers desired to know whether the Minister of Lahor was prepared to do anything to prevent this impending friction. Mr Arnold (Dunedin) also spoke to the question, dealing with the matter of trades unionism and politics. —Shearers' Price Favored. —

"I pay 25s a hundred, hut I want my sheep shorn well," said Mr Buick (Palmerston North). Mr A. W. Hogg (Masterton) spoke in favor of a general award, and' Mr H. G. Ell (Christchurch) also declared that he could not see why this should not be done. In 1901 the Wellington and Christchurch employers made strenuous efforts to have one general award; why did the employers object now? Mr Massey: Are you sure they are raising an objection aiow? < Mr Ell replied that he was judging bv the newspaper reports. 'Mr G. Witty (Riccartou) declared that onlv a few farmers were causing friction by trying to reduce the price. Last year's rise in wool meant two millions more to the wool-grower, and why should there be any objection to a small increase when it was being paid already in manv districts? Mr M'Laren said that the shearers knew where they were going, and would not accept anything less than 20s. Itwas because they had been humbugged and harassed that they had decided to take the matter into their own hands and handle it strongly. Mr R. A. Wright (Wellington South) said that in every industry in the Dominion there should be a universal award. The member for Hawke's Bay (Mr Dillon) said that 90 per cent, of owners in his district were quite prepared to pay 20s. but it was in other directions 'that the shoe pinched: notably, in eruteliing, where the wool did not pav for the shearing. The memher for Avon (Mr G. W. Hussein said that his impression was that the mitnimum rate should be 20s, leaving higher class work to be paid at a special rate. The wool industry offered better conditions for a Dominion award than any other industry, owing to the uniform colonial price of wool. It might he well to give the Minister power~to have a minimum wage before a dispute was commenced. The member for Christchurch East (Mr Davey) deplored the fact that the shearers had decided to break away •from the Arbitration Act, because if it was created with any one object it was to give fair play to the worker. In reply to Mr Frascr, who said that legislative enactmeuts should not go behind the Arbitration Court, Mr Taj-lor said that the proposal was mereli' to give the Court power to make r, colonial award. —The Minister's View. —

The Minister of Labor (Hon. J. A. Millar) said that the point raised by the member for Christchurch was very important. Every part of the country was divided into industrial districts, and the award only applied to the industrial district in which it applied under the law. It was possible to make an award taking in adjoining districts, But who had objected to the colonial award? The workers, who feared that an awar.d might be first made in a district where wages were low. Mr M'Laren: That's a different matter.

The Minister: A colonial award provides the same wages all over the'country. Mr M'Laren: It does not. As a consequence of the workers' objection, a clause was put in by which the award could not be operated generally without a majority of the workers consented. In any case it was not possible for the Court to sit only in Wellington or Christchurch to decide the wages for the whole Dominion. It would have to sit in all parts to hear evidence regarding the differences in the cost of living. The slaughtermen had made an agreement in New Zealand covering the whole country. If the farmers and the Shearers' "Onion could be got to agree a general award could bo fixed up.