COUNTRY AWARDS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19100, 22 August 1936, Page 7

COUNTRY AWARDS

SCOPE AND APPLICATION SHEEPOWNERS' VIEWS SH BAKERS' AGREEM ENT Lengthy correspondence on the subject, of the application of existing and future industrial awards to the primary industries was received by the executive of the Gisborno and East Coast Shipowners' Union yesterday afternoon, much of the information forwarded, more particularly from the national headquarters of the Sheepowners' Federation, being of a, confidential nature. The general effect of the correspondence! was' that good foundations existed for the assumption that federation members would continue to fight .their industrial battles under the auspices of 'the present organisation. There were present at the meeting Messrs. C. H: Williams, president, J. C. Graham, B. J. Holdsworth, S. D. Reeves, S. T. Gray, V. T. C. Savage, P. E. Barker, J. Hutchinson, Lawson Field, and C. G. Holdsworth. The recent national conference of the federation was briefly reported upon by Mr. B. J. Holdsworth, one of the delegates from this district, who also gave his impressions gained during the discussion of the shearers' agreement. He emphasised that the employers' representatives in the negotiations had had a most difficult task, and that the conclusion reached reflected well upon the federation's delegates. ■The president remarked that , the agreement was as advantageous as could be hoped for from the negotiationsl, but lie considered that il would have been worth while to take the dispute to the Arbitration Court. A rise of from 25 to 30 per cent in shearing costs hardly could be justified, and the Arbitration Court must take notice of the financial considerations. Apparently the sheepowners were now voluntarily tied down for three years. Mr. Holdsworth pointed out that rr\any delegates at itho conference felt that the Arbitration Court might see their point of view r , but there was the prospect of serious trouble in the coming shearing season if the agreement had not been reached, and the majority were not anxious to court such trouble. If l '- Graham expressed the view that the new agreement would not suit Poverty Bay shearers at, all. They liked to get on with the job and get it done. Mr. Holdsworth: We pointed that out, but it had no effect. The president extended his congratulations to Mr. Reeves on his appointment as a member of the Meal, Board electoral college. Mr. Williams commented that no one had done any canvassing for Mr. Reeves, so far as he knew, and Mr. Reeves had been elected without any form of special pleading. The meeting endorsed 'he remarks of the chairman.