SHEARERS AND THE WAR.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144852, 2 December 1915, Page 7

SHEARERS AND THE WAR.

“THERE ARE NO SfIIRKERS.” “I want 15 shearers to-day, blade or machine, and I cannot secure them,” said Air. Laracy, secretary of tho Shearers’ Association to a Post reporter. In other years,” ho continued, “this office would bo filled with shearers looking for work. Now there is not one hero. Of tho men that 1 have mot here, coming over from Australia, 1 can say that they are of the best type, as good as any in uniform or not, and there are no shirkers among thorn, at least, of the men that matters much. Shearing lias to b© done. It is not a matter of price, but of men, and we in the association recognise this fact that men who are taking tho wool off tho sheep are doing something towards carrying on tho war. Men at tho front have to bo clothed. They cannot bo if tho sheep are not shorn, and it has been proved that the experienced men are needed to do the work. I have not met a man who has come over hero who counts among the shearers who is not ready to go to tho front. Of course, there arc two or three that do not count, hut merely talk; but it is plain to me that conscription is not needed in this country. If you take Roll of Honour you will find as many shearers have gone down as any other class in proportion to their numbers, both in Australia and New Zealand. If any critic will come into tho open and tell us, over his own name, how wo can do more than we are doing, wo shall be glad.”