SHEARERS FOR QUEENSLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 1949, 2 July 1891, Page 15

SHEARERS FOR QUEENSLAND.

Referring to the shearers engaged to proceed to Queensland by the Waihora, the Lyttelton Times remarks: — "Throughout Saturday morning the port presented a very lively appearance with the 200 or so men who had determined to leave these shores and. fake, fte offer

of the pastoralists of Queensland. The men comprised, as such crowds usually do, all sorts and conditions of men, with perhaps a preponderance on the side of what might fairly be termed youth ; for the most part well dressed, strong, raw-boned looking men, capable, one would think, of standing the test of the oppressive climate of North Australia. Here and there amongst the crowd, as they thronged on board the steamer, might be seen the dark face of a Maori about to venture rather far from home to try his luck. Just before the steamer cast off our representative at Lyttelton boarded the vessel, and had a look over the quarters that had been erected for the reception of the men. The steerage accommodation had been carried aft as far as the square of the main hatch, and there temporary berths had been put up, which appeared to serve the purpose for which they were intended splendidly. At Duoedin the authorities had made" an inspection of the vessel, «nd satisfied themselves upon this point, and also seen that sufficient life-belts and rafts were on board in case they should be required. Our reporter also had a few minutes' chat with Mr J. C. Pendrice, who has gone over as organising agent. In reply to the question if he had got all the men he required, he replied in the affirmative, and said that many more had offered, not only at Ohristchurcb, but at Wellington and Dunedin. As the work the men would be engaged upon was skilled labour they had been very careful to engage men possessed of some references as to ability. The men were engaged either for four or six months at option, and it was specified in their agreements that they were to receive 20s per hundred for shearing, and be paid 303 per week and found when engaged upon other work about the runs. ' Some arrangements were also made for their return to New Zealand, for those engaging the men undertook to get them reduced passages from. Sydney if they should find their way to that port. Mr Pendrice could not say how many sheep remained to be shorn, but shearing operations were very backward in consequence of the strike. The exact number engaged from Christchurch was 54, 40 came from Wellington, and the balance of the 200 were obtained at Dunedin and Timaru."

The Auckland Bootmakers' Union balance sheet shows the receipts to have been £2818, of which £1922 has been paid as strike pay. The pay of married men has been increased to 255, and the allowance for children from Is to 2s each.

A Christchurch telegram states that at a meeting of shearers, held on Monday night, it was decided to form a shearers' and general labourers' anion.