NO SHEARING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16530, 14 September 1921, Page 7

NO SHEARING.

AWARD TO GE IGNORED. UNION’S NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES. EMPLOYERS NOT ALARMED. (Pkr Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 14. The executive of tho New Zealand Workers’ Union has advised Mr C. Grnyndler, general secretary, to notify all shearers and shed hands to refrain from making engagements under the Arbitration Court’s recent shearers’ award. It is understood that the shearers cannot be compelled to leave their winter employment. In the course of a statement made to tho Press Mr Grayndler said that tho attitude of tin? shearers will affect tho whole of tho New Zealand shearing industry, which cannot afford to be held up for a fortnight. If the present determination of the shearers lasts lor a month the sheepowners will be compelled to capitulate. Several sheepfarmers who were interviewed said that the attitude of the shearers was not altogether unexpected, but the farmers would help themselves and each other, and would pull through tho crisis. SHEARERS AVAILABLE. NO APPREHENSION IN CANTERBURY. “ Present indications all point to the conclusion that sheepowners, speaking generally, will have no difficulty in obtaining all the labour required,” said Mr W. H. Nicholson, secretary of the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union today. “ Applications for shearing are coming in freely, and those shearers that I have come in contact with since the award was made have almost without exception expressed their satisfaction at the Court’s decision in this ca.se.” Referring to tho fact that the shearers, as reported from Wellington, were remaining in their winter employment, Mr Nicholson said it would be readily understood why shearers left their winter employment under ordinary conditions, because they had the prospect of making considerably increased wages from shearing. This season, under the new award, would bo no exception. It was well known among shearers that their earnings could be at least doubled as compared with winter employment, and there was no comparison whatever. The shearer, also, ivhen he left his employment, came away with the vhoh of his earnings in a lump sum, a thing which was impossible to other •workers undor award conditions in tho town. Mr Nicholson instanced tho case of one shearer who had assured him that he gladly left his occupation as a bootmaker every season to go shearing, and would not miss it for anything, as he regarded it almost in the nature of ur. annual holiday, and doubted whether there was aaiy other class of work so well paid. Early shearing in Canterbury will commence about the end of the present month, and the season will be in full swing by November.