FARM LABOURERS' DEMANDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2801, 20 November 1907, Page 21

FARM LABOURERS' DEMANDS.

CHRISTCHUBCH, November 18.

The hearing of the farm labourers' dispute by the Canterbury Conciliation Board commenced this morning. The schedule of demands by the union was get out as follows : —

- Hours of Labour. — Ploughmen: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. ; breakfast 7to 7.30 a.m. ; dinner an hour and arhalf from leaving work till starting back to work; work with horses to stop at 5 p.m., after %hich men wer-. not *o groom horses. x)ay labourers: -t-ight hours and a-ha*.f for five days, and four hours »nd a-half on Saturday. General* farm hands: Nine hours per day. Harvesters: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ; one hour for dinner, half an hour for lurch both before and alter dinner. Married couples: Husband same hours as ploughmen or harvesters, according to work. Other work at 48 hours per week.

Bates of Wages. — Heal ploughman or timekeeper, £1 10s per week; ploughmen on level country, £1 7a 6d for foux-horse team, and £1 6» for three-horse team; 2s 6d extra for «very additional horse; stump ploughing, with six horses, £1 15s per week; general farm hands, "£1 7s 6d per week ; aay labourers, 7s 6d per day; casuals, j.s per hour; drainers. Is per hour; if in water, Is 3d per hour; gum boots supplied by employers. Harvest wages: Men working horses, £2 16a. with board and lodgings; stooking and forking, £\ 16s, or Is 3d per hour, with board and .odgings; stacking, £3 per week, or Is 6d per hour and found; stackers' assistants. Is per hour and found; daymen, Is per hour, with board at the rate of 10s per week where necessary ; married couples — where both have to work, man £1 7s 6d, wife (as cook) 15s per week for four men,' and 2s per week for each man over four; if required to bake. £1 per week; house and coal or firewood free; horse and trap to be allowed to be kept, at not more •than Is per week. If man has to harvest, wages to be those of 1 harvester. Shepherds : Head shepherds, on plains or downs if married, £1 12s 6d; on back or mountainous country, if married, £1 15s; house, fuel, rations, horses, and feed for dogs free; single men same, with board and lodging Instead of house; undershepherds, £1 12s <5d and found, if single, or with house if married; casual employees, £1 15s and all found; mustering on Sundays, Is per hour; musterers and packers in back country, £3 per week, and 10s extra for' Sundays, and found; aay mrasterers, 11s per day, with one day's pay for coming from last job, and 5s expenses; -threshers, same wage and conditions as harvesters.

Holidays.— New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, day of local sports, Labour Day, King's Birthday, Christmas ->ay, .Boxing Day, one week each in November and May, all at full pay, and a half-holiday on Saturday, "except in harvest tim«.

Overtime. — Day\ labourers, Is per i.our; harvesters, Is 3d per hour; for all time before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m., boys ro be paid not less than 17s 6d per week, with increases of; 2s 6d every six months to the full wages. No boy under 16 to take- charge of ' a team of more than two horses, nd no boy tc work .before or after the hours fixed for the other farm workers. All sleeping accommodation to be properly ventilated »nd^. sanitary, and each individual to have the same space as allotted under "The Shearers Act 1898.' The dining room to be aeparale from the sleeping room. Each worker to have board, soap, and candles allowed, and the choice of baker's bread when practicable, and to be allowed 5s a- week extra if they have to cook for" themselves. Preference to be given to unionists -No work covered by these conditions to be let by contract.

Evidence was given in support of the union's demands and the dispute was adjourned till to-morrow, when further evidence will be heard.