AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL WORKERS' COLUMN. NOTES AND GENERAL INFORMATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 26

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL WORKERS' COLUMN. NOTES AND GENERAL INFORMATION.

By Steve Boeehaji.

The 5.6. Maeraki, which sailed for Melbourne on the ISth inafc., had a number of shearers amongst her passengers. Most of them came frcir. the South Canterbury district, and are on their way to fill engagements in sheds on the Murray River. Tho writer notices with surprise the large number of good shcarej-s and allround men who ar& at present out of work in Dunedin, and without any prospects ot getting- employment during the winter months. My advice to tbeee men is to take out a passage for Sydney at once, and go out to Bourke>, in the Western district, where they will be able" to get any quantity of shearing this season. By leaving for the other side at once shearers will mosi likeily have the money- to pay their fare. Delaying with the hope of getting work her© will only run them short of cash, and possibly end up with their going broke. The country about BowEe just at present is wearing a promising appearance for the winter, and shearing will be maeh better than was the case last yeas.'. Notwithstanding that a number of sheep were sent away for feed in the early part of the year, the latest travelling stock report informs us that a greater number of sheep are on the way back into the district than left it. Gundabooka started on the Ist inst., Uri-e Point on tho 14-th, Wilgar Downs on the 20fch. Ecorara is to start on tho 25th, Weilmoringle and Meryula on the 27th, Toulby on the 28th of July; Wilga Downs on the Ist, Kaleno on the Ist, Kalara on tlie 3rd, Compadore on the 7th, Coronga Peak' on the 9th, Kenihvorfch on the 9th, and Piaugobla on the 15th August. The sheds on the Laohlan are Tarwon, which will start 011 the. 7th of August, Alma on the 6th, Tunra and Tjl Til on the Bth, Chilichri on the 12th, and Oulpatara on the 14th. Taken all round the starts are much' earlier this year than any year within the writer's memory, find the stock re- j turns show about five million more sheep ■ in the Si ate of New South Wales; so that a larger number of men will have to bo employed in order to finish the shearing with that dispatch necessary in a country where feed is not suffieienjljr

plentiful to keep the mustered flecks long on hand.

With every prospect of securing work at which £1 or more per day may be -earned, it appears to me to be- the acme of madness for shearers, especially single men, to stay in this colony in hopes of getting employment when there exists the certainty of work just over the Tasman Seia. Remember, the Australians make thear periodical raids on this colony during the shearing and harvesting seasons; then why should we not have a out off able employment when it is plentiful in their State?

Tho Victorian State railway servants are about to form two or three dredging companies for tho purpose of giving work to their colleagues who lost their positions at the time of the strike two years ago, andi have done little or nothing since. The idea is io take up leases in the Ballarat district and employ only the ex-railway men on them. This is an admirable movei on the part of I.he Victorian railway employees, and satisfies me that our fellowworkers in that State have not forgotten those who suffered dismissal from their employment in order, according to their convictions, to benefit their more fortunate fellow State employees.

The Stata election which took place in South Australia in May lesulted in a great victory for the Labour and Progressive Democrat parties. Tlie consequence is that a Labour Democratic Government for that State is certain. The number of Labour members elected is 15, and the number of Progressive Democrats nine. This gives the combined parties a good working majority. HsEca there can be no doubt that Mr Tom Price, the Labour leader, will be called on to form a Government. In Port Adelaide the Labourites secured the three scats; Adelaide three out of four. Wallaroo two, Victoria and Albert one, Torrens all the seats. Ths result of this eleot-'on clearly shows that the electors of South Australia arc not afraid to trust the destinies of that State in the hands of Labour. Let us hepe that the party will do credit to the Stat-a they most assuredly will be called on to govern. Before my next notes appear shearing will be so far advanced on the other side that it will be useless for me to deal further with the industry in the Commonwealth ; consequently it may be expected that my next will apply to New Zealand only, and deal with general farm and station employment other than that of shearing.