FARM LABOURERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13290, 20 May 1907, Page 6

FARM LABOURERS.

THEIR DEMAXDS OX EMPLOYERS.

MEETING OF FARMERS.

Ons of the ni';st oarn.:-r and uiiaiiimot:; met tings of fanners *v*r held in Timaru took place in TalU-r.sail's land s:il.' room on Saturday afternoon, immediately aft:-r an important salo of a farmer's largo holding of various shares., which had piobab-y attracted more people than ill*:- announcement of the mooting alotx* would have done; but there and listening to the chairman's o})ening remarks, all remained and became attentive and interested hearers, and eag-.r voters for the. motion that was proposed. The meeting was 'convened by Mr Twentvman, of Northern fce-adown, but; Mr John Talbot mounted the auctioneer':; rostrinn and explained that the meeting had been called for the purpose of drawing attention to the demands of the Farm labourers' Union. A number of farmer.-) had already received citations to appear before the Arbitration. Court, and all who had not received a copy, both large farmer's and small, would do so. The Arbitration Court was to sit"at Ohristchurch on the 28th of this month, and (though the farmers' case might not come on for hearing -then, there was no time, to ba lost. They were now getting a taste of the arbitration laws. Hitherto the farming community had not been interfered with, but an attempt was now being inadi to bring them under the harrow, and it was a very serious matter indeed. It behoved every farmer to wake up and do all in his power to check such unjust demands. The conditions under which it was sought to bring the farmers were not applicable to the- farming community at all. They were unnecessary and wholly unworkable. " He urged them, therefore, to combine together to bring before the Court the very best case they could; so that these demands should not be acceded to. Ha did not want to condemn the labour laws generally, but- he did Bay that so far as the farming industry was concerned there was no necessity for interference. The 1 wages paid were fair, and there was no genuine complaint from the bona fide farmers' employees. Particularly vexatious were the demands made in respect of holidays. No great discussion was nec-iisary, and he would call upon llr Twentymau to propose a resolution. Mr Twentym.ui moved—" That as the demand* now being made by the Farm Labourers' Union are, in the opinion of this meeting, unreasonable and unworkable, Messrs J. Talbot, J. Wilson, W. S, Maslin, A. Cleland, Jas. Hay, and the mover, ba a romniiLtf-e, with power to add to their ni;L.j.r. to confer with similar committees elsewhere, to ajipoint pernors to appear at Court, and generally to take any action in the interests of farmers in respect to the Labuur Union's demands."—l' Applause.)

Mr Miislin seconded the. motion. H<? said he could not do so with pleasure, beciinse lie regretted too deeply—as he wa:= sure they all did-—-the occasion for it. He heartily agreed with the motion, and said it behoved them all to look after their interest in the veiy b:st possible way, for the stability of tli& country was threatened. On the farming community depended very largely the prosperity'of the country, and wh_n the basis of their prosperity was threatened it was time '-to wake ■up, and Lake some very definite action in defence. Every one would agreethat wry amicable; relations had existed;, and still .existed, between the fanners and their employees. He ventured to say that thsse i;iiqnitious demands had not emanated from the genuine farm labourer at all, but rather from labour agitatois in Christchurch and elsewhere, who had nothing betwr to do. (Hear, hear.) Mr Mas--3m referred to the demand made in respect, to boy labour on farms, saying that the demand for 17s 6d per week for a boy, with regular advances- evenyear, was outrageous. When he was a lad he used to work on a farm for 8s a week, and he did so with satisfaction to himself and liis employer, as many hundreds of others had also done. If a boy went to a factory to work he was given 5s a week, out of which lie. had to find himself.' Why then, should fanners'' be asked to pay 17s 6d and.found? It would mean, the prohibition of boy labour on farms; and this in turn would mean that they would, have no young farmers- coming on. for farming could not be carried on without previous experience. He paid his men 27s a week and found, and experienced no difficulty with them. A -•hilling or two a week was neither here or there in wages, but under these exorbitant demands of Union it would be impossible to carry on farming. (Hear,. hear.)

Mr Talbot then put the motion, whiih v»s carried unanimously and with applause, almost every hand in the room oeing held up fur it and none against it. Mr Talbot remarked that it. Mas. pleasant to see such a large meeting and also to find them expressing thi-ir opinion so decidedly. He invited anyone who had any suggestions to make to make them now.

Mr A. C'leland m a vigorous speeeh made a strong appeal to his brother fanners to put up a strong fight against these demands. If the Farmer's Union had been kept- alive such inequitable demand would never have bean put forth: and he urged them to resuscitate the Union in : he diff.-:lent di?{iic-i" throughout South CuKteibury so that they would be better able to collect funds to defray tha costs of defending' their interests. The only branch of the Union that had remained active was Pleasant Point branch with a. membership of 40. If every district had its branch these demands would not have bsen made. He. believed that members of Parliament had voted for these laws to rouse the farmers to look after their interests; and he hoped they would not only rouse themselves and raise funds to meet this application, but would go on to defend their intere ta and get this Act swept off the Statute Book altogether. :Great applause.) Mr Muslin mounted the rostrum again to j-ound the warning that " while the grass is growing the cow is starving." I hey could not wait for funds until branches of the Fanners' Union were formed e-verywhere or the case would be decided against them. If the demands Mere acceded to there were hot only tho questions, of hours or wages and holidays affected, bub there would be no such thing as contract ploughing, contract harvesting, gorse-cutting etc.. and they all knew a number of men who had got their start in life by contract ploughing. If the. demands were granted there would be an end of that sort of thing.

Mr Maslin announced that a list would be placed in the. of/ice. of the Canterbiuy Parmers' Co-operative Association, ami subscriptions would be received and recorded there. They were all int--rested, and if all gave a little they woidd get a lighting fund The committer whom the meeting had appointed would, Mr Muslin said, njftt other committees appointed at Ashburton and Christchurch and Ihey would take combined and uniform action to secure the best- results. (Applause.)

Mr J. Limbrick suggested that it would b?. In tt-.r to .fix an amount that each should contribute, say half a crown or five .shillings.

Mr Maslin said half .a crown each would be ample. Money being offered on the spot in both silver and notes, it •was arranged to make a collection at the door as the crowd tiled our. and Messrs Fraser (St. Andrews), B. P. J. -Cochrane, and R. Davie. (Wash-

Ivke) undertook tlie duty of collectors

Mr P. Wareing moved a vote of thanksi u> Mr Twentymm for convening the m-eet--111.5. aTh ' tr Talbot for presiding, and to 'the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association for tise of tbu room, and this being carried the meeting, which had lasted but a short time, was dreed. Thf; amount collected was £l9 15a 7d. (The first coin tendered was a p'rimy. in mistake for half a crown. The error was corrected by adding the .silver, but !.ljp piimy tells in the total.) Lists will be opened at the. Canterbury Farmers' Cooperative -Association offices, Timarn, Geraldine, and Waimate-, and at the various stock sales, for subscriptions to Hefray the expenses of delegates, which are expected to be heavy.