MEETING OF SHEARERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1582, 17 May 1887, Page 3

MEETING OF SHEARERS.

A meeting of shearers was held last Saturday night in the Tolunteer Kail, Temuka, for the purpose of hearing an address delivered by Mr Spsnce (of Victoria, President of the Shearers Union). Mr Slattery took the chair, and there was a fair attendance. The Chairman explained that the meeting was called agreeably to a promise made when the shearers were canvasser!. Successful msrtings had already been held in Oamaru, Tin aru, and Waimate, and many new members had been enlolled. He would now introduce Mr Spence, President of the Union. "Br Spence, who was received with applause, said it was desired that the Union should embrace all Australasia. Local Unions had hitherto failed through men from other districts coming iDto competition with the local men. For instance, men came over from Victoria tc New Zealand and competed with the local men. The object was to form r Union of the whole of the colonies to prevent prir-os being brought down too | low. Thr "Miditions differed in different i

colonies, »■■ ' consequently rules suitable -■ lo the conditions would be framed, and New Zealand would have rules to suit herself. For some time the price for shearing had had a downward tendency, and if shearers did not look after themselves it would come down too low. Another f uestion was the way rations were' provided. In a place called Deniltquin, the shipowners drew up the agree* tnents so that the shearers should buy their goods from themselves, and then charged exorbitant prices. Tbey charged £2 for a bag of flour which could be got anywhere fer 255; Ss for 1b 6d tea, and 6d per lb for brown sugar, and thus they reduced the price tbey paid for shearing. ,The accommodation provided in many places was not nmplr,and he knew men whose health had been ruined for life through having been exposed to - cold in miserable shearing huts. la Victoria 22 moo were found in a hut 23 feet square, and 2 of them were Chiaamen, who smoked opium; and sometimes in such miserable hovels the cook prepared the food, keeping his stores under his bunk. Many employers, of course, made ample provisions for their men, but in numerous instances the treatment was so bad that they «ere justified in complaining. The question of unfair agreements was an important one. The agreements were all drawn up in a one-sided war, and provided that if a man were dismissed from the shed he should forfeit 2s, 3s, or 4s, as the case may be, per 100, for all the work hehad done. This of coarse was very wrong, a* the employers had an interest in dismissing their men, and it was well kuo* a that some dismissed for no other reason. He had heard a story of a shearer »ho went to a shed, got work, and proceeded to shear with hie swag on his buck. The 1 manager asked why ho did not takeoff the swag, and he replied that he thought it would not be worth while, as he would 'be sacked directly. (Laughter), Unless Bhearers did something for their own protection they would be at they mercy of the employers. The Union proposed that •there should be a Committee of shears in each shed, who would inquire into the cause of the dismissal of any man, and report to the officers of the Union. If a wroDg had,been done the Union would prosecute their employer. Inßtead of 8 hours a day, it was decided that it sho'd be 48 hours a week, 'so that wet days migVt be made up. In Victoria they adopted the plan of engaging through the office of the Union. The shearers sent in their names to the Secretary, these names were submitted to the aheep farmer, who selected his men and . then returned the list. Thus the sheepowners Lad the, selection of their men ; the requisite number of bands turned up at the proper time, and Bheepowners were ' able to proceed to work without being short handed. The shearers also bad theadvaniage of knowing where they were booked for, and instead of wandering from station testation went straight to their work. He

did not'think this would be neoeisury in this colony, as the men had not to go far from home to shear. With regard to the apposition''offered to Unions, he held ibejr did the community as a whole good, a* they prevented prices coming down, too low, sod tbus increased the spending power of the working classes. It was bttter that £IOOO should be distributed •inonglt 1000 people thaD that it should all go into one pocket. It was proved , ; thitinEngfahd upiohiim improved the / fcmditibn of the working classes, and the -huiiUty of the Work done was better. .'■' Banks were united, other monetary ; ; corporations were united, aftd why should .■'•. not working roan unite for their own welfare 1 One feeling they ought to get i.lid of was being too much obliged to the man who gave Ibem work. There was .. no obligation in it; they gave the man ' their labor, and he paid them for it. It was like dealing with the butcher or baker. It was computed that in En'gland the working man worked 2 days a week for himself and 4 days a week for his employer—that is, the profit of the two <Jays fas sufficient to pay his wages, while the other 4 days a week ha worked for nethiag. He did not know what it was in the colony, but with the rate of profit it ought to be five days that he worked for his employer. He did not mention this to set class against class; he only pointed it out so that they might feel the true dignity of labor. It was a nutter of exchange, aad both partieß BhDiild respect eaoh other. He bejeved there was no danger to capital from unionism, for he felt certain there would toe no wrong done. Trades Unions had done a great deal of good. In 1878 three •ocieties maintained 46,000 persons during a strike ; the Amalgamated Society ©if Engineers paid £132,000 in benefits Jast year, and tony had no strike at all, 526,000 of which had been paid to ' old men as * superacuation allowance. Lord JJosebery had said that it was on Trades Unions the stability of the empire depended. Mr Spence concluded with a forcible appeal to workiog men to look after their rights, and to ' combine together for their own protection. Men's needs often compelled them to accept low wages, and those who stood ont for keeping up the price of labor would have to give in, and eventually come down to the lowest level, and still get lower and lover, unless they combined together to look after their own interest*. (Applause), The Chairman sail? 13,000 shearers hid already been enrolled in the Union and »f these 2300 wereia New Zealand, The

canvass had Dot been perfect, but about SO per cent, of the shearers of New Zealand had enrollnd themselves. He invited tliem to make any remarks or suggestions they might think fit. A tew remarks were made, and eventually it w»s decided that 16b 8d per 100 would be a fair price for shearing. After some answers were given to questions, Mr Nicholas mo fed a vote of thinks to Mr Spence for his address, and on \i having been carried by acclamation Mr Spence moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman, and the meeting terminated.