FARM WORKERS' UNION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8984, 18 July 1907, Page 4

FARM WORKERS' UNION.

A largely rttencWl meeting of men^ b^rs of the Fnrm Workers' Union am 1 otVrs was held in the Sheffield Tom Hall on Monday evening The presi dont of the Union (Mr J A. M Cvi lou^h) presided, and ad lrer»srd tli meeting on the claims of the Unipfor support. He said that it g«ye h \ r pleasure to meet many old friends, wh< for the p?st three ynars had rcnisune loyal to the principles of t^e Timor Their loyalty had resulted in th Union becoming the power for go-d tha it undoubtedly was. For years tin Legislature had studiously ncgloctw tTie farm workers of the colony, whiK volumes of Acts of Parliament ha^ been enacted in the interests of tlv farmers and the city workers Tha legislation had been introduced m-uil because the farmers and the city work ens had been organised, and had m«c! their requirements known The s^raers and the city general labour- < h^ had enactments dealing specific^' with their occupations, and now att. years of neglect the Legislature pr posed doing something for the far; ( labourers. He attributed the far that Mr F. R. Flatman, M.H.R. hr. given notice to introduce a tar Workers Accommodation Bill to tr, organisation of the farm workers. Tni ' measure was only, the forerunner oi J

very many oilier enactments to bo introduced in the interests of the country workers, and if the Canterbury workers would remain true to the principles of unionism, those principles would extend over the whole colony, and the Legislature in the future would be eager to introduce legislation in their interests. He noted with pleasure the large increase in the membership of the Unions last year in New Zealand, and predicted that the increase would continue and wit" 1 ! it the power and influence of the Unions would grow. Trades unionism _ had made an enormous growth in Bitain, md recent legislation was evidence of its power in connection with the political life of the people of Britain. Mr E. Kennedy (organiser of the Union) also addressed the meeting, referring to ma .y cases of hardship and cruel treatment that he had met with. Only that day, he said, he had talked with two boys, quite young lads, wrona ho had found driving a six-horse team in a three-furrow plough, working for wages of 17s 6d and 15s per week. The work that they were doing was altogether unsuitable for growing boys. The speakers were warmly applaud:.d, and a hearty rote of thanks was carried by acclamation. A meeting of the Sheffield branch ;vas held after the public meeting. It was decided that another meeting of tae branch should be held on Saturday evening for the purpose of selecting witnesses to attend the Arbitration Court in connection with the farm workers dilute, and to select delegates to attend a general meeting of the Union to be held in Chxistchurch n July 27. A public meeting was held in the Town Hall, Oxford, under the auspices jf the Farm Workers' Union, about 250 >erso"s attending. The president of ho Union, Mr J. A. M'Cullough, preided and addressed the meeting on the dvantages to be gained by the asso•iation of wage earners. He claimed hat in those trades and callings in. rhich Unions had been established, the varjes and conditions of employment iad improved, and in those in which here were no Unions the sweated yorker and the unscrupulous employer vere to be found. The farmers of Canerbury had been exceedingly prosper;us during the past ten years, and prosperity had induced selfishness. The lyerage farmer seemed to forget that 'iia farr/i hand had contributed by his abour' towards the successes of recent .•ears, and now that the workers had jombined together and were claiming i fairer division of the wealth which their labour had assisted to create, the farmers were objecting. The farmers >vho would be injured by the work of the Union were the mean men who hook advantage of the worker's wcakicss and exploited him. Such men deserved all that they might suffer. The ?ood employer bad nothing to fear [-om the Union: rather would it be f >r his benefit, as it would compel the lean farmer to come up to the standrd set by the good one and thus make ompetition fairer. Mr E. Kennedy (organiser of the Tnion) also spoke of the disabilities of he workers. The speakers were frequently ap.lauded. Mr Parish asked what the Union ould do with the incompetent worklan, and Mr M'Cullouah replied that he Arbitration Court had never given in award that did net make special proifiinn for the incompetent worker. After the public meeting forty-three •orkrrs met and formed a branch of '-c Union for the Oxford district, and i r ranged to hold a meeting of the ">rancU on Saturday. A meeting of the Springston branc' A the Farm Workers' Union was helc >n Saturday, June 30, over sixty pei ■ons being present. Mr L. B. "Wilson f the Christchurch Trades and Labour incil, and Mr Amour, secretary of he Leeston branch, were welcomed as isitors. Eleven new members were n rolled. The secretary reported that early all the labourers of the district , ere members of the branch. Mr \mour gave an encouraging report of he movement in Leeston, which was eceived with great enthusiasm. Mr iVilson gave a short address on the i growth ai unionism. Arrangements

were made for another meeting, and votes of -thanks to the vLsitoi* were passed. .^_^_^__^^_^___^__