FARM LABOURERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13316, 19 June 1907, Page 5

FARM LABOURERS.

MESSRS ELL AND BARR'S MISSION. ' Mr H 0. Ell, xM-H.R., was in TinKiru, yesterday, passing through s °^ d ceiitres to Pleasant Point, J** the Hon. Mr Barr' were to speak la*t uight on the farm labour question. • . • Mr Ell informed a Herald leportei • that he. and Mr Ban-have, - fa.'tory- meetings at Waimate, Uumvv, ~uii and Ea-irlie, and one rui ™ L f oE ulir mission- would be the enrohnent of , »«»!•»,"J/I" '"'SfSAo the Farm Labourers' Union. ,-He.spoko " tl, pta.-e of came of tUe \ wS bv an employer of laboui, ; Mi . BHol win gave tfem and "■«"»§ nnor Quarters for farm hands. 1 Mr Ell says the demand, of th* Union as tlioy have been circulated m , ,j i. n .w.,.v r | e d to. Farm wovh. can 'not be governed by fixed rules as to hours, f v rnce and it would be imposMblo to o-iV- all hands on a farm a half holiday on Saturdays. But the principles of limiU ing the hours per week and regular and frequent holidays shou a be admitted and applied in practice ■ &0 of farm hands' quarters demanded prompt attention and eneigetic acnianatu i l them gome , very Si»o , s u«i Of %e ***~ tiol in the Fairlie district. Il» S*' there are apt to be severe, yet on one large farm the men's hut is of unlinei weatherboards, and .on anotlier calvanised iron—second-hand mm at-that. And in one of These lulls- there is no I place, but a lire in a nail-can on. thf flooi is permitted. This is perhaps a, heater, but defective a* a yenalaio , . nd is otherwise wanting in hygienic qualitiesThe question of 'wages-tori demands the attention of \isonio impartial umpne, .<> that a workman shall besav«t from ihe curt "Well if you don't lixe it, you can n- 0 ," on being refused a; remiM for an iiicr-'ase of wages, from something below, to something nearer a supposed local standard. There is, .however, no local standard. for workmen, who may be assumed to be equally competent, are working for from 17s 6d through the various grader, of 6d. up to'3os a< week.' Messrs Ell and Barr propose to fpealc in Timnru ri-oxt' Monda-v evening, if siu-l - al le arrangements' can be made, that lining the only evening ■ they now have" at liberty. ; ' .