The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1909. THRESHING FROM STOOK.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13996, 3 September 1909, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1909. THRESHING FROM STOOK.

The President ynf the 'Threshing-null' Owners' (Jnion.-. is . ..probably right in anticipating, that some of the farmers of : South Canterbury will object -to - tlio agreement inaclo with the ;S\\j}iinateWorkers' Union that lor the "next two years; at all events there«shall 'ba. uothreshing of gram crops '"out ob •stooks" -.The; threshers-, employers ; and employees., have combined to limit the liberty ot, tlie farmer -to carry on his -.bnsi lifss ;a s: he pi easas j .a nd wit lion t consulting him at all-have given Jiim ; a fresh commandment;a .•'* thou' shaltnot which will '-certainly 1 be resented.; Threshing out of stook is a common practice -when -tlioi harvest- season is .dry, and not uncommon when-ifc is weti Last harvest, we -understand,-; quite n; considerable proportion.' of the gram ! cut was carted to the ;mil!s. And last season, too;: :thero were many com-;' plaints, especially -in Ndrtli- Cauterbiir.v>: a bout ill-conditioned ■ wheat, this - being a direct conscquece- of threshing lrorn stook. This system is more easily adopted by a large than by a> small ■farmer,■■■'■unless;;-! several .--small', farmers; iau manage to co-operate, as stookthroshing lequircs a strength ol' teams a lid hands, beyond Jtjie conimaiul' of the small farmer j :and > such co-operation is: nut perfectly easy. to sarrangi?, because, of the necessity of someone being last to be served, and therefore exposed longest to -the .risks of the weather. : The .remarks - made by .Mr Scanncll, reported in; anotlic* column tonlay. m> justifies tron of- the -action .of the •threshers - against -the .. freedom of the farmer, sectfi- to a mount • to a goo^l.: defence, will -jl»e fully ; approved —by those who' do believe "in --stookr. threshing, or who dcV not-wish to: applythe system in their own practice. Those ' who.-'have - been; accustomed to. thresh from stook: whenever it. sible, and liave' been in the habit of booking an early call of tl le mi 11,; w ill not be so ready to accept the prohibition of the practice.' It will mean for -thorn additional .expense; and it may mean awaiting some weeks, until .sweat-: i inrr stacks have become fit to thresh, I while: the owner is, fretting :at his ;in-, i ability to get his grain .into the - early market. Sometimes,-of course, delay means advantage, «s was the case last .season, " when the later sellers , got bet-;; .-tor- prices than the earlier. It is liowjever a most pec-uli'ar the contractor, and his employees .can/ decide - tlie ilia liner, in which a certain kind of work required liy .a third party -shall be performed. ~lt is■: not perhaps ail unique position, l>ut: we cannot .call. to mind jyiotlier cns.o . in which ,th;»t. possibility is so sharply-realised in. fact.