THE SHEARERS DISPUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 22

THE SHEARERS DISPUTE.

! ATTITUDE OF SHEEP FARMERS. NAPIER, January 7. A meeting of the Hawie's Bay branch ofi the New Zealand Farmers' Union was held at Hastings this afternoon to discuss 'the president's circular xc the shearers' dispute. A committee was , appointed to aet"-5a3 representative of the union before" the Arbitration Court, but it was decided, not to) offer any evidence before the Conciliation! Board. • " PAHIATUA, January 7. A largely attended meeting of _ sheep farmers was held here this afternoon ta consider the shearers' dispute.- Mr, Samuel Bolton presided. Mr Cooper was the ohiefi speaker, and detailed the' demands of the Sfiearers' Union and the objections formulated by the Farmers' Union. With regard to these demands the following resolutions were unanimously paesed: —• "(1) That this meeting agrees to support! the programme of the executive of the Farmers' Union, and agrees to appoint Mr Cooper as its representatitve before tho Arbitration Court, and objects to appear before the Conciliation Board; -(2) that this meeting agrees to pay 5s ,per 1000 sheep towards expenses of defending-the farmers* case in court." Paper s_. were numerousiy signed agreeing to this course. PALMERSTON N~ January 8. Interviewed by a Manawatu reporter, » well-known shearer of 20 yeara* standing declared that there was nothing in the shearers' demands *that competent men wanted. There was no demand the part of -the men- for preference to unionists, limitation of learners, or the dagging clause. What the men did want wa3 a fixed standard rate. Shearers no more desired the . other regulations than did tVn ~u ' owners. A NOVEL COMPLIOA'ixOxN. WELLINGTON, January 10. A rather curious position Las arisen in' connection with the shearers' dispute, which has been referred to the Conciliation) Board to deal with. The dispute was ale* before the holidays, and the'board formally, met on December 3 and fixed dates of sittings in the separate parts of the industrial district for hearing" the case. In tho meantime the Farmers' Union .publicly announced that it intended to ignore ihe • proceedings before the'board with «, view to having the matter referred direct to the .Arbitration Court.. The board, however, has power to compel the attendances of. witnesses by issuing subpoenas, but another difficulty has cropped up to temporarily prevent this. At the present time there is no> Clerk of Awards in Wellington, owing to the transfer of Mr Hawkins to the Soutfe Island, and it is not expected that his succesor can lake up his duties in Wellington, before Tuesday next. So the necessary procedure for the issuing of subpoenas cannot be gone through until then. - The chairman of the board (Mr V. J. O'Regan) convened a meeting and explained the position to his colleagues, pointing out the awkward position that had , arisen owing to the dates having been fixed, and stating that the dispute should , not have been filed until after the holidays. Personally, he preferred tp see the dates that had 1 been fixed cancelled, fresh dates decided upon, and proceedings taken to compel the production of all the cvi* dence that was required. The other members of the board pointed put that ltr would be exceedingly inconvenient to alte* the previously-arranged dates, owing to the fact that fresh notice would have to be issued to every person oited,_ several 'hundreds in number, besides which & number of persons intended to -voluntarily, presenfi" themselves at the sitting already decided upon, and it would be unfair to; disappointi them. It was e/rentually deoidecl to instruct the Clerk of Awards upon' his arrival! to issue subpoenas to & number of sheepfarmers to attend t"he Palmsrston North' and Wanganui sitting. It is anticipated that there will be ample time to' do so before the board sits at these places. The board will proceed to Masterjbon and

JTapier in the meantime to take what Voluntary evidence is offering, sitting at Masterton on Monday and at Napier on Wednesday.' The Palmerston North sitting jrill commence on Friday next.