FARM LABOURERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13293, 23 May 1907, Page 6

FARM LABOURERS.

EEMAXDS OPPOSED AT GERALDIXE

At tlw conclusion, of tlia stock sale at Geraldine yesterday about 80 farmers assembled in Messrs Guinness and Le Cren's sale room to discuis the circular received by fanners anil citing them to appear before the Arbitration Court to reply to demands made by the CanterLury ir'arm -Labourers' Industrial Union. Mr Maling, Mayor of Geraldine, presided. Mr W. fc>. Maslin who had taken part in a. meeting fpr a similar purpose at Timaru last Saturday was the first and principal speaker. He stated that the first action taken in regard to the citations was afe Fairlie where, at a meeting of the Mackenzie County A. and P. .Society, a resolution was passed that the demands of tho Labourers' Onion were unreasonable and unworkable and should be resisted, and the meeting appointed a <;c>tmnitte? to represent the farmers of chat district in any organised opposition to the demands. Then Mr Twentyman, of Seadown, nob knowing that anything had been done at Fairlie, called a meeting at Timarn. Before the meeting came off, representatives of Timaru, Waimate, Fairlie, Pleasant Point, Geraldine, Waitohi and other places met and discussed the list of demands and prepared a, resolution for the meeting. Mr Maslin here read the, resolution that was carried at TiliKtrn. as follows:—" That as the demands now being made by the Farm Labourers' Union are. in the opinion pf this meeting, unreasonable and unworkable, Messrs J. Talbot, J. Wilson, W. S. Maslin, A. Cleland, James Hay, and the mover, b2> a committee, with power to add to their number, to confer with similar ccmmi - tees elsewhere, to appoint persons to appear at Court, and generally to take any action in the interests of farmers in respect to the Labour Union's demands." Be explained that ifc would be necessary to organise the opposition on uniform lines, and to work together, as they could do no good by working as independent units. The committees they were to work with did not mean separate local committers for South Canterbtny, but committees in Ashburton. and Christcharch, who would confer together, get the best legal advice, and adopt a single course, of action. It must ba understood that the delegates must have a perfectly free hand, as they could not foresee all the possible contingencies. They must therefore selectmen in whom they had confidenece, and trust to them doing their best in the common, interest. He could say a great deal more, but it wulcl be best to keep their own counsel as the other side did iW- If t them knqjrjwhat they were doing: therefore all details of their action should be discussed and decided "in committee.'" All they need let the other aide know that thi y were going to oppose their demands rand that they were auting on the belief that the relations between the bona-fide farm labourer and liis emp!'>y>v were of the most amicable nature. The demands of the Union struck a blow :>t a b>rge and valuable section of the worker* themselves—the contract ploughers r..n:{ croppers. That proposal alone—the prohibition of contract work—should ensure the rejection of the demands as preposterous. A fighting fund would be needed, the expenses of the delegates might be heavy and a list would ba open at the Canterbury Fanners" Co-operative A>"'>ciafeion office in Geraldine. At Timant £2O was collected and banked with the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association for -the fund and other collections would be added to it. They must haw only one fond, as separate funds would mean separate fighting lines. Mr Maslin made some remarks on the fact that the citations sent oat paid no postage and had heard that there were 6000 sent out. and he could well believe it, as three hud b.-en received by members of his family. It was a gross injustice, he considered, that the otlur side could have their letters franked, while the farmers would have t« pay postage on all letters in reply. Air A. Kelman moved that the resolution passed at Timaru be endorsed, and that Messrs R. Skinner and P. Mulvahill be appointed to represent the fanners of l fcratdine district on the South Canterbury committee.

Mr E. Murphy seconded the motion and spoksr in support, of it. He b:-lieved th ■ dtnianJs had been made not by farm labourers at all, but by town agitator*, and he suggested a ridiculous resralt of Lurrying out the. proposals. that if a f;;rrn lurstnian carting grain to Winchester, found himself on the road at five o'clock. h > must loose-out and leave- liis dray tin re till next morning. He spoke ;ilm> again?: the proposed preference to union is-is, <.>- pccially because many good men and th - b;st men would not become unionist;?. Mr Maslin stated that the two men nominated bad been selected by the local Farmers' League.

Mr Wreathall opposed the motion as un-ruce-sarv. The demands were .so ridiculous as to carry, their own refutation, and they were not worth spending timanil money on opposing them. Fann.i - could apply their own remedy by turning their farms into sheep walks and do in;; without hired labour. If he preferred to employ union labour he could do so. bin lie could not be compelled to do so. 'Hit r • uas no Act of Parliament to that. erfr-cr. at all events, he challenged Mr M;islin to produce it. Mr Mastin said there was no Act o? Parliament. bet the* Arbitration Cosrt tnsd a discretionary power to order that.

preference should be given to unionists, and if employers ignored the order they could be fined, as many ■ employers had l>een.

Mr Wreathall repeated his denial of the existence of any power of compulsion, and moved as ail amendment to Mr Iveluian's motion, that no delegates ba appointed. Mr 15. Tripp stated that the Sheep-ow-ners' Union had held a meeting, and had appointed tha president, Mr J. C. N. Grigg, to meet and act with the Ashburton farmers' committee and any others that might be t appointed, to defend the case in Court. A conference would be held in Ashburton next Tuesday afternoon.

Mr Sheat, a member of the CanterburyFarmers' Union executive, said they were getting delegates from the north and south

to attend tliat conference, to decide how the demands should be fought, and the executive were working with the Sheepowner.;' Union.

Mr Masliu seconded pro forma in order that it might be put-, Mr Wreathall's amendment that no action be .taken, because the* thing would work its own cure. .Mr Maslin said that if no action was taken, the Court would take it that the farmers agreed to the proposals, and would make them into an award that- they would have to abide by under penalty of a fine for every breach of them.

On the amendment being put, Mr Wreathall alone voted for it, and practically ail the rest against, and Mr Kellnan's motion was then earned, Mr Wr-eath-ali voting against it. A vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding i.-losed the meeting. Mr Maslin reminding thoae present of the necessity for subscriptions as they separated.

THE WORKER'S POINT OF VIEW.

To the Editor of the " Timaru Herald."

Sir, —In reading the account of the Farmers' Union meeting held last, Saturday. I can scarcely repress ,1 smile. One speaker asserted that there were no complaints from bona fide farm labourers. That- gentleman could not have sought for his information in the right direction, or he could have heard a great many complaints from competent men who will simply not work on a farm for the wages usually offered to them, and I am quite sure Ikwotild not find very many farm labourers satisfied with their lot. Another speaker stated that he paid his men 27s od per week and he experienced no difficulty in dealing with them. Certainly not. I can quite believe that, considering that- most of liis neighbours pay the princely wage of 22s 6d, his case is an exception and not the general rule. For proof, I would call attention to the wanted column in any of our daily papers, whe.ro vim very seldom see 27s 6d per week offered. Wit]', regard to boy labour. I holil very different views from Mr Maslin. At the present time a boy of 16 years of age does, and is expected to do. as much as a man, but in most cases lie will only receive a nigger's wage. The result is only too well known. The young fellows learn to sliur. the farm, whereas on the other hand, if the boys had fair wages and better conditions to work under, I think that in a few years the farmers would have little need to cry out for assisted immigration, as they would have, plenty of willing workers at their own doors. But the farmers are of the firm opinion that they are the only ones who should benefit by the prosperous condition of the colony at the present time. There are plenty of willing workers in this and other districts who have a difficult task to make both ends meet-. In the Temuka district for instance, the wealthiest farmers pay the large sum of 6s per day. out of which somp town residents are paying rent and keeping families, in spite of lost time through wet weather and the high cost of living. And still we call this " God's Own Country!" Ye-', for the squatters. In reading over the demands- of the farm labourers. I fail to find any rule prohibiting contract ploughing, as Mr Ma-lin would lead us to believe exists. I am, etc.. TOILER. Albnry, 20th May.

At a special committee meeting of the Canterbury Sheepowneis' Union held on Tuesday, the demands of the Agricultural Labourers' Union were fully considered, and a special committer consisting r;f Messrs .T. C. X. Grigg. C. E. Calcin. Thomas Tescliemaker. 1). I). Macfarlaiu-, Duncan Rutherford. (». E. Sitarky, C. X. Orbell. and B. Tripp was set up to go fully into matters and resi.v;, the demands in the Arbitration Couit. which sits in Christchurch in Julv n-st.