SHEARERS' DEMANDS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 869, 15 July 1910, Page 6

SHEARERS' DEMANDS.

BEFORE ARBITRATION COURT. THE'JUDGE AND MR. LARACY. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Christchurch, July It. Tho disputo between the Shearers' Union anil sheep-owners on tho question of wages and rations came beforo the Arbitration Court to-day, Mr. Justico Sim presiding. Messrs.'Laracy and Waddell appeared for the union, and Messrs. Pryor and 'Griffin- for tlio employers. The employers offered 17s. Gd. per hundred ar.d the men demanded .El. Mr. Laracy mentioned the Hon. .T. A. Millar's telegram to the effect that tho North Island employers were agreeable to a conference i'or conditions for the whole Dominion. He suggested u conference be held to arrive at a settlement. Mr. Justice Sim asked whether the union had not.declined to accept a lower rate than Jil. Mr. Laracy said he would be prepared to hold a ■ conference on Saturday. The judge said it was a question whether tlie Court should make an award ht a!!, in view uf the attitude of the union. When any parties approached tlio Arbitration Court it was their duty to accept the award made, not to coerce men 'to refuse to work under it. The union practically said it. would prevent the men' working ..viriles.i irs demands wero agreed to. hi that position it had ho business to go near the Court. Mr. Laracy said Ike Court, in laying down wages had alw'ays said a man was justified in getting as much as he could for Ills labour. The judge Said Mr. Laracy did not.appreciate 'the distinction between an individual worker and a union, telling him he must not work for the award .rate. The union's resolution nvas to that effect. Mr. Laracy said tliat the employers practically refused a conference. He wanted the Court to adjourn the case till a confercnce had been. held. Mr. Pryor,. for the employers, said that unless the union was prepared to discuss wages the conference would be useless. Mr. Laracy said he might get authority to take less than 20s. a hundred. He asked how the union hud offended the Court? Mr. Justice Sim replied that if Mr. Laracy had not the sense to see where the union was wrong lie should not conduct tile case. The union, in asking for the award, must be prepared to accept it. It had no right to dictate, to tho men. Mr, Laracy said the members themselves resolved .not to take less than 2Us., and the union had endorsed that'. Mr. Justice Sim: 'Exactly. Mr. Laracy said the men said they would not work under tho award. The judge replied that the best thing for men of that sort was freedom of contract, then they would be glad to come and ask.for an award. Mr.. Laracy, to his mind, could not appreciate the difference between the individual and tho union. Such things would ruin the Arbitration Act. It was a great pity tho men had lost the services of Mr, Darcy. After discussion, Mr. Laracy said he would get authority to discuss wages, and the Court adjourned to allow of a conference, a report to bo made to tho Court on July 26. ACTION BY MR. LARACY. A CABLE-TO AUSTRALIA. (By Telegraph.—-Press Association.* Christchurch, June 14, Mr. Laracy has sent the following cable message to the ■ "Australian Worker". — "Courj; caso abortive; no chance of settlement now; advertise the stay-away system, and keep two columns of 'Worker' open • next week; budget going over. Wo will not be shearers this year." Asked what the New Zealand Shearers' and Woolshed Employees' Association of Workers intended doing, in view of the negotiations for a conference to discuss a Dominion award having failed, Mr. Laracy stated that it was intended to hold meetings throughout, New Zealand and to go on with tho fight. As the employers had again ignored them at the meetings, the whole ; position would bo placed before . the members of the association, and tlie manner in which tho employers had treated • them would be explained. Members of ! the association would be asked, to confirm the resolutions previously arrived at on the question of the rate at which shearing should bo done, or to reverse them. The meetings would also be asked to approve, or .disapprove of the executive's actions, and those of their representatives at the conference with tho employers' representatives. Ho pointed out, that tho executive in what it had done had sihiply carried out . the wishes of the members, and not necessarily those of the executive. Mr. Laracy. also states that at the conference .to .discuss, a Dominion award the representatives of shearers were asked to.sign the following: "That the Shearers' delegates are.authorised to deal with the question of price, and to accept such price as may be agreed upon between 17s. Gd. and 205., and that the executive bind -themselves to take no steps to interfere with tho workers accepting work at the minimum rate agreed upon at the conference." The shearers', representatives point blank . refused to sign anything of the kind, lie .added.' Mr. ;i\ Waddell, on being asked what steps the Canterbury Shearers' Union intended taking, in view of the present state of affairs, replied: "We are looking forward to an amicable settlement gf the matters in disputo before tho opening of the shearing season." •