AUSTRALASIAN SHEARERS' UNION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3773, 4 November 1886, Page 3

AUSTRALASIAN SHEARERS' UNION.

_^ A meeting wa3 hold in the Library Hall, Waimate, on the lat inst. , to consider the proposal for forming a branch of the above union at Waimate, and to hear tho object and working of the society explained by Mr S'attery, delegato from Australia. Thero was a large meeting. Mr W. Lundon was moved to the chair, and opened the proceedings by explaining tho object of tho meeting. Ho spoke of the necessity of shearers organising aud forming a society for mutual benefit, and to enable them to secure the be3t rate of wages fairly obtainable by this class of workmen. He also referred to the insufficient accommodation generally provided for shearers by their employers. The chairman then introduced Mr Slattery. Mr Slattery described the circumstanpe* of tha starting of the Australasiar Shearers' Union at Ballarat, the manage ment of the central and branch societies and Bhowed the advantages to sheareri arising from connection with the Union, He considered Waimate, from its centra position, a good place for starting i ■ branch for the South or Middle Island o I New Zealand, and encouraged the meet ; ing to make a commencement in thi : direction. It was resolved to form a brauc]

) at once, and Messrs Lundon, Matlhs-w.", 1 Pierce, Newton, H. Saundi is, nnd - G. Penrco were appointed a committee j to arrange for the commeuc. mint of such a society at Waimate. Thirty- ; sevHi shearers then joined, and it was decided that a meeting of members be , held on Monday evening next to elect tho • president and officers.