SHEARERS’ DEMANDS.

Southland Times, Issue 18972, 20 June 1923, Page 2

SHEARERS’ DEMANDS.

To the Editor. Sir, —The majority of sheep owners will have recently received a copy of demands purported to be drawn up by persons claiming to be representatives of shearers and shed hands for the provinces Southland and Otago. Of the sixty clauses set out it will be observed by any sane and reasonable person that only about six are reasonable or practicable. Of the rest some are too ridiculous to be worth comment, others only for their humorous aspect, many of which if they appeared under a suitable caricature would make amusing studies for juveniles in Comic Cuts. A few more clauses might still have been added, which evidently were overlooked by the compilers. For instance, where a first-class return ticket is to be provided for machine experts. They do not seem to have considered his comforts and welfare while on the job. Therefore the two front rooms ' in the house should be at his disposal, with i a maid to wait on him and he should not ' be required to dine with the men; neither with the boss or his family. The shearers should have two complete suits of working clothes provided, one of which should be laundered every day and placed ready well aired with slippers near the bath room, where an abundance of hot and cold water should be provided, etc., etc. Now to take the matter seriously, it behoves every employer to oppose the majority of these clauses. Take clause 2 for example: how many full weeks can be got during shearing in Southland? Perhaps not one in five years, yet the shearers only purpose working 44 hours in a fine week, which would perhaps nVean an average of 30 hours to 35 hours throughout for an average season. They only purpose working 8 hours on a fine day, irrespective of the days or parts of days waiting for sheep to dry. Little do they care that little lambs, many of them perhaps only a few weeks old, some only perhaps a few days, are standing crying and starving out in a pen while their mothers are suffering with pressure of milk waiting the mercy and pleasure of the “men” who have been engaged to remove the wool off them. Every employer must stand fast for the old standing hours of 6 to 6 with the usual stops. Then to the rates of pay: well in a season like 1922 the farmer might as well give them the clip. However, there is only a very limited time left to make arrangements to appoint suitable representatives to uphold their interests on July 6. — I am, etc., SHEEP FARMER.