SHEARERS' WAGES.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16309, 10 August 1917, Page 2

SHEARERS' WAGES.

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE.

! STRAIGHT-OUT INCREASE OR ! WAR BONUS?

Wages and conditions in the shearing sheds ia Canterbury were brought beroro the Conciliation Council in Cnnstchurch on Wednesday, -when sheep owners applied for -a hearing of tho dispute with the Canterbury Shearers' Union. Tho Conciliation Commissioner, Mr J. R. Triggs, presided. J lie owners' assessors were Messrs'H H. Acland, L. C. Gardiner and Walter larkinson, and tho shearers' assessors Messrs A J. Ivhg, W. Boone, and A. Cook. Mr C. Grayndler, aren't of the Canterbury "Union, ,-uid secretary of tho £ew Zealand Shearers' Union, "and Mr .(• • H. Labatt, secretary of the Canterbury Sheepowners' Union, also attond-

i he Commissioner said that the own-(i-s had offered to give the shearers a war bonus of 7s 6d a liundred. which be thought was satisfactory. Difficult problems would have to be solved when fio JJommion's soldiers returned .after be war and if the country's' products "ere materially interfered with, New Zealand might he. left in th« ] urc h He recommeoded the union's represenl \'P S r, ta acco P* tiie offer. u?rL G ;;^' nc ? lM - *»** ««* ti, e cost D f '"".ns had increased stendilv durin"the past ten years. PossiWr'aftcr the war was over the condition of t e ZZ iei '\T- ht be WOIB9 «>an at pre! mt- Jt was reasonable to suppose, "ulginjr by tho experience of the past, tb.-it employers would tako advantage ct the influx of labour caused V>v returning soldiers. In the circumstances the shearers asked for a straight-out nicre.-ise of wage of 7s Cd a hundred. J lie price of wool given bv tlie Imperial authorities had been cuarantoed for twelve months. Thei-f- was no reason why the owners should not definitely increase wages, instead of merely giving a war bonus. The Commissioner asked the owners if they would give an extra V's (3d for the next two seasons.

Mr Acland said that it was impossible to state what, the price of wool wotild bo in two years. *lf wool was dear, wages would be dear; and a jolly good too.

Mr Grayndler said that he was pleased to hear that remark. Mr Cook said that in Australia wages for shearers and shed hands had been increased by 33 to 100 per c-ont. Mr Grayndler said that if the owners' offer was accepted the owners would be in a position to take advantage of the shearers as soon as tho war was over. They would be in a position immediately to pull down wajjes.

Mr Boouo said that the Imperial Government, in buying New Zealand's wool, gave a flat price, not a bonus. The shearers, on the same principle, asked for a flat wage /They asked for an incieaso of 7s 6<l on* pre-war rates. Mr Grayndler said that in recent years the cost of living had increased about 100 per cent., the price of wool also had increased 100 per cast., and shearers were asking for an increase of about only 37 per cent. After further discussion Mr Grayndler said that if the owners really wished to settle wages and conditions their assessors should con for and then make an offer of a. flat wane. It was merely waste of timo to talk of a war bonus. The shearers were willing to accept a flat rate for two vears. " Mr Acland said that it would be better to let the dispute go to the Arbitration Court.

-Mr Grayndler said that the shearers wou.d not accept :ui award of ihe Court, they did not fool was satisfaeTory. ]f the? Court fixed, sny, £1 a hundred, shearers would nor. * go~iato the sheds, bub would follow other vocations. There was no law io compel them io do otherwise. It was useless to go to the Court, liec-au.se the peace, thai all wished for would not, he obtained in that way. The full extent. of tho owners' oiler, considering the increased cost of living and decreased purchasing power of the sovereign, was 14s 6d a hundred, and that, in a prosperous industry in which substantial profits were being made. In other branches of industry there had been lan-re. increases of wages. For instance., since. 1910 wharf labourers had received an increase, of ■',: p ,. p eent., and seamen had received an increase of nearly 70 per cent. Slieepou- tiers, in refusing to increase the flat rate of 1910, „- nro treating the she.Trers -unfairly. Their best plan was to make an offer on the basis of a flat wage. A bonus siniplv was nor acceptable. Air GanHmr said thai Civil Servant", all over the couutrv had receive-] bonuses. -Mr Grayudler said Thai Civil Savants were not casual workers, whi'e slK.ire.tvi were. Aire,- a conference of the shearers' a-es,ors Mr Gravtidler annouiKed that .hey would consider any offer the own-

ers might make. Ho said that ho wished to avoid dissension and ill-ieeliug. Tho owners' assessors conferred, and the Commissioner stated that they had decided to offer the same conditions as in the old award, with a bonus of 79 Cd a hundred. This was conditional upon an amicable agreement on other points, particularly shed hands' conditions, being arrived at. As to shed hands t'hav- offered 37s 6d per week and 30s to lads under eighteen, or Is 3d and Is Id per hour. Mr Grayndler stated that the offer was not acceptable. He speciallv mentioned the wages offcrd for shod'hamds, which, he said, were not sufficient to support a, mam with a family. In reply to Mr Acland, Mr Grayndler said that tho onlv counter-proposals of the shearers were those filed by the union with the clerk of awards. Mr Aela.nd suggested that a. Dominion conference of representatives of both parties should bo held in ■Wellington.

It was decided to iiwlefinitelv pastpone further consideration of tho dispute and to recommend that a Dominion conference should be held on August 22 in Wellington, with the object of bringing aboxit a settlement.