MEETING OF THRESHINGMACHINE EMPLOYEES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11484, 17 January 1903, Page 3

MEETING OF THRESHINGMACHINE EMPLOYEES.

A QUESTION OF WAGES.

A meeting of threshing-machine employees was held in the Prebbleton Library on Thursday. There was <i fair attendance of machine owners and farmers. The Chairman (Mr J. W. Patohet) said the meeting had been called for the purpose of talking over the business of threshing, with a view, if possible, to get a, little more wages for the men, He wa« of opinion that machine .hands were the worst paid men of any 'he knew, considering the dirty nature of the work, the long hours they had to put in, the constant shifting about, and the very unpleasant way they had to take their food. Last year they only averaged 25s per week for the time they were out, and he thought it was not

enough. Mr Harper, speaking on belialf of several machine employees, said he hoped to have seen more machine owners present. He pointed out that in the past the men had not been paid too well, and the meeting had been called with a view of amicabJy talking over the matter, and, if passible, to come to some understand ing as to what w;us a fair increase for the men to get under present circumstances. They were not there, he explained, to dtmand anything, but all agreed that the cost of living haa considerably increased. Whilst they admitted that any rise would eventually come out of the farmers, lw trusted they would meet them fairly, and give them -what was fair. Under the present circumstances :» great, deal of the threshing was done out of the stook, which was a saving to the farmer. The men had to hold themselves in readiness to go out with the machine at a moment's notice. The men thought it would be a fair thing if the price w;is raised to 12s per thousand all round, the feeder to get a proportionate rise, and the driver to make hLs own arrangements. The men wore willing to sign an agreement to stayall the season with the machine if th«se prices were given, providing th« award of the Aibitration Court did not interfere with the arrangements. Mr Henwood said he thought it would be wise to wait until the award had been fixed by the Arbitration Court. Mr Harper replied thru it was not known when the award would l>e made, and they wanted something fixed for this year. Mr McNally said they were not demanding anything; all they wanted was to have an understanding. The cost of living had enormously increased, aj>d they did not want the matter to go on unsettled imtil the machines were about to, go out Mr Peryman said a.s an own*! , of n machine he was glad to s>ee the tone vltt meeting had taken up, and thought it would be wise for the men to-do as Mr J. W. Prebble had suggested, ar.d api>oint a deputation to w-a.it on the owners of tiie machines. A lengthy discussion took place, in which several took part. At an after meeting several of the nren were appointed to wait on the machine owners in their districts, and endeavour, if possible, to get the wages fixed «t 12s per tbomtad »U round.