ATTITUDE OF SHEARERS' UNION.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14971, 19 May 1914, Page 7

ATTITUDE OF SHEARERS' UNION.

(SPECIAZ. TO "THE PSESS.") WELLINGTON. May 18. At the annual social gathering of the New Zealand Shearers' Association, Mr M. La racy, tho secretary, said his Union was out to organise the country workers.

Mr W. Bell said that Labour was in a precarious condition, as tho result of the crisis they had passed through, and as every great evil

brought its own remedy, he believed '-.'"] that their remedy would bo the re« Y/."'-| organisation of Labour on a common " basis. -•'.'.' Mr John Townsend", organiser of the - j Marlborough Rural Workers' Union. i remarked that tho country workershaa - been loft severely alone, except by the - ■] Shearers'. Union." The Union had" this - j year suggested taking up the. organisation of the farm labourers, and tho —

movement had met with a very fair response. It had been boasted by tho fanners that they were the backbone of the country, but what about the country worker who assisted them to make their wealth. 0 When the country workers were organised, it was safe to say that Mr Massey would iako a back scat. The men, who had been brought in from the country at the time of the strike, had come because, practically spenkinjr, they knew nothing about industrial unionism.

Mr G. Bruce, organiser of the Otago Country Workers' Union, said th« country workers were the backbone of the country, and it was the Shearers' Union which had first recognised the necessity for their organisation. Labour was between two stools; on the one hand it had tho United Labour Party, and on the other tho Federation of labour. He believed in the men who constituted tbe rank and file of tbe Federation. With tho general .labourer, the waterside worker, the shearer, and the. miner he had no dispute. They wero face to face with a serious issue. At tho nest - election fhoy had to bo united., and if their leaders would not help them, they would have to get rid of them. Ho was .1 believer, iv industrial unionispi, because he believed in political action that followed.

It wiil be interesting to note that at this function "political action" was proposed by Mr E. Gallichau. organiser of tho Liberal Party, who said that such action was the very mainsoring of their existence. If they moved in the right direction and used sano and moderate language in putting their casethoy had nothing to fear.