The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, SEPT. 20, 1910. THE SHEARERS' DISPUTE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14302, 20 September 1910, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. TUESDAY, SEPT. 20, 1910. THE SHEARERS' DISPUTE.

The •■'prospects 1 of art fearly Settlement of the shearers* dispute appear to be somewhat more promising in the light of statements made on behalf ff the shearers which we publish' to-day. It is evident that the flamboyantly ag--gressive attitude which Mr Laracv, the secretary of the Shearers' Federation, has hitherto assumed as his peculiar method of encouraging- conciliation,- is not supported by all the Unions. The Wellington Shearers' Union, we are glad to see, deprecates the statement by : the Canterbury Union that unless the employers agree to their terms they will Taise the price to 22s 6d a hundred, and adheres to the original request- for 20s. It would seem, also, that calmer counsels have been brought to bear on Mr Laracy, who has now laid down the shillelagh which, metaphorically speaking, he was whirling, and states, in answer to tlie secretary of tlie Employers' Federation, that the Union is perfectly willing, and has been so all along, to abide by the decision of the Court. That is a very satisfactory assurance, but we are not surprised that the employers wished to have a definite undertaking on the point after the tao- ' tics previously displayed by Mr Laracy. It was agreed some time ago that the three Conciliation Commissioners should sit as a special commission to make a recommendation on the subject which might be accepted by the I Court. Mr Larac-y then thought fit to advise the shearers not to apply for work unless the decision was in favour of a minimum rate of at least 20s per hundred, and his absolute refusal to give an understanding that he would not endeavour to persuade the men to refuse employment unless the finding of the Court was satisfactory to them made it useless for the Commissioners to consider the case. Mr Laracy, apparently, has now withdrawn from the position of "heads I win, tails you lose," which threatened to make an amicable settlement of the dispute impossible, and Mr Pryor, for the employers, has alrea/Jy stated that if the Shearers' Union will engage to do the same, the employers are prepared to abide by whatever decision may be arrived at by the Court as a result of recommendations of the Commissioners. _ It is to be hoped til El t tilol£ Will 110W HO IHOTft talk of refusing employment and

ultimatums," but. Hint the difli'Tciircs between Hie pnrties will bo sr>ll.led amicably and on tlieij merits.