SHEEP FARMERS' FEELINGS

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 758, 5 March 1910, Page 8

SHEEP FARMERS' FEELINGS

. AND EXPECTATIONS. . Sir,—Readers 1 of your, paper, and especially sheep farmers, .will no doubt all be. aware of the decision given on February. 9. by Mr. S. McCarthy, S.M., in;the case : ''Inspector of Awards "versus : Slrs. Franklin,"-of. AVeberr-tried at Danne*irke; in respect to an alleged lock-out of shearers.

• 'l'he case was of very deep interest to every jheep fanner ill New Zealand—not on account of' tho heavy penalty .attached -thereto if the Inspector won his case, but ,"because, had-he been' successful, there ■would have' beeiv a distinct interference • Vitlr the. liberty of the subject in .eonducting . his. or her business. Had the Inspector .won, sheep farmers would have found themselves between the devil end - the dcop sea—shearers on one 'hand ind: b'idi .bidi on the other, and. a probable loss of 2d. a pound on the clip. 1 As you are aware, the Inspector claimed '£500 for .breach of award,, his plaint being .that Mrs.. Franklin.' through her sons created a'lock-out. Tho evidence given at court clearly showed; that such was not the'case, and that tho. shearers themselves : bad struck without jnstiiiablo'reasbn, and really at the instigation-and agitation of one man. 1 . ■

• At Qiieenstown,. on 26th'of last month,five 'shearers wero each lined J!5 for participating in a- strike, .and every farmer in, Wellington-and Rawke's .Bay is now waiting to see if the Inspector,'of. Awards trill-bring;a similar charge against such of, tlioso shearers who in Mrs. Franklin's Jas'e, as were shown .to Jiavo been tho strikers and not the struck. •

It, is of course, not pleasant for thoMnipector to find that, ho-has taken the' wrong pig to market, but ho has 110 doubt thought it to bo his duty, and in following that duly up, he cannot now let the' matter drop. If he is to keep the confidence*- of- his office and" that of "tho public, lie must and will institute fresh froceedings against the offending parties. t is a-power vested in him which ho cannot, daro not, abuse. •If the shearers themselves are not now accessible, tho union to which they belong should be held financially' responsible for the actions of these or any of its members. Trusting you will find spaco for the general feelings of tlio farming community herein expressed, and thanking you in anticipation.—l am, etc., INTERESTED. March 3. Milking machines are said to have made their first appearance at Eketahuna this season. There are now three or four different installations in the district. The bullock' shipped by Mr. P. W. Fairey, of Nelson, yesterday, to compete at the Royal Agricultural Shpw, Sydney, has been entered for' the following classes:—Best fat Durham (shorthorn) ox (any age), best ox (championship), and ;Beaviest bullock. The cow has been entered, for best fat Durham (shorthorn) oow, any age,, best cow (championship), ind heaviest cow 011 ground. The bullock recently turned the scales' at 23cwt., find the cow is over 16cwt. The bullock .which Mr. Fairey is sending gained first frizes at the two last Nelson shows. Mr. 'airey is to be congratulated upon . his enterprise in sending exhibits to' Sydney, where his beasts will have to meet competition from all ..parts of Australia.