THE SHEARING TROUBLE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10580, 8 October 1910, Page 6

THE SHEARING TROUBLE.

ATTITUDE. .■"'' (Per Pkess Association.) j ' Wellington, 7.< "With regaid to the Australian sheareis, I of lejtters from tho other' side" stating that the men theic are regai cling any engagements in New Zealand until r a complete settlement has been a'mved at m the Dominion,'" said Mr Larary, secretary >to the Sheaiers' Federation^te^a-jTimes lepoiter when questioned with lcspcct the attitude of the" slieaiefs' suiee the "awaid of the Aibitiatiow Court , "Thd present position is this," 'hp continued. "ITie union *is - taking no steps to prevent anyone Irom engaging stands undo* the aw aid, although the men aie aildividuallv and absolutely refusing tjo sheai at less than £1 per 100 throughout New' Zealand iWhat< the union most concerned about at present, how,ever, is the shed Jiands, -whose case- hajs been hung up until November. TJns practically mea'iis that any award which may be made will be of-no use,t6 them this season Wc have' placed the position befoie membeis of Parliament', asking their good offices in" the matter with a view to uiguig-the Minister of Laboij tb"biing about'a special sitting of' deal wrth" shed hands'' We want the protection of the court in regaid to this class of worker.'J Bast J jear we went to a gieat deal of" trouble in or l gainsing them, and they have paid getting' anxious in the belief that this money'has been thrown at an>[ rate so fai as the present season is concerned. 4 ~< "The court not sitting until November'to hear their case also places the' shearers m a very' awkward position,' as these shed hands are or oui association,'Jand ' the members of the union aie beginning to ask the question, What's going to be' done about sheet hands ? Altogether the position is most unsatisfactory.' If something is not done very shortly l with regard to the shed hands I per-| sonally think we will be m no better position than we the award was made, for the slieaiers and I can sec nothing ahead but mdustiial unlest throughout the sheaiing season unless a settlement is arrived at - , "In Canterbuiy the shearing has started I know of no men 1 who' are working at less than £1 per-'IOO, and no engagements aie being made-at a lower rate"! No sheaiing is jet' taking place in Otago and Southland, but th 6 men there have *nado a vow that they will not shear under d&l."'7ln Wellington, Wairarapa,' ,and Hawke's* Bay, where the shearers are mostly they have refused'to'"go to work until such time as an arrangement is made, legaidmg the conditions of ■'the rate of pay, and there is ftf be a conference on Wednesdaj to endeavor, to leach" a 'settlement The Maoris so fai have proved the staunchest men m the' Shearers' Union. * ttl , , ) "So fai as the awaid made by the Courtj in Wellington, goes, as I have. ' said, 'the union. l taking r iio r steps to' j defeat tho award. ~ Everything is noiv ! in tho juen's hands, aifd front w hat I , can gather travelling throughout theL. Dominion the men will "stand by the : resolution passed in the' sheds _last ' year, at,the conference, and at meetmgsr hold subsequent te the confcience."