AMONG THE SHEARERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1659, 28 January 1913, Page 10

AMONG THE SHEARERS.

A HARD YEAR. A South .Canterbury, shearer who. has "done" stations of both islands for eight •years-in-succession informed a representative of tho Timaru "Post" recently that in all probability the Shearers' Union would como to the Arbitration Court for a further rise for next season. This year, ho said, , the wool had. been harder than it had been'■ for many years. One old shearer -,of .'his acquaintance had said, it had never been so' hard for thirty years. This was so of the Mackenzie Country 'in particular. One reason advanced for the wool being.in '-such a state, was. the continuous" wet 'weather' during one part of .the season, "fnste'ad of -the' usual greasy yolk running free on the wool," ho said, -it was a very yellow 1 ' yolk, and as hard 03 leather. . Particularly , was this so of half, three-quarter, and quarter-breds and merinos. ■ As a, result, the shears. kept continually losing.; their 'set,'- and ; of pourse, : the, driving an idea v of how men's tallies were affected, this shearer said that his own tally had cm numerous occasions dropped from 140 to 99, in fact, most men had lost 30 to 40 per day. One -Australian who was always good for >150 started on a Mackenzie - Country board, and the. first day his tally, stood at CO, and in disgust he packed his swag and left. Had tho wool been in good order, tho-shearers would have earned more at 'the rato of 15s. 8(1. per 100 than they did at <61. Incidentally this man said:that a great deal of "roughing" had taken placo on the boards, as a result of the bad state of tho irocl and in.no case' had anything bee"n said. He -further stated that the hnrd driving necessary had caused men's wrists and hands to become sore and swollen, which had contributed still further to small tallies. , ,

"What will the union ask for ?" queried tho' pressman. "Well, tho general opinion of shearers who shore on the big stations of both islands is 255. per 100. But don't think it is the outcome of limitation. ' All fair-minded men are satisfied with .£1 under ordinary '•onditions, but not with conditions that have obtained this year."

Dairy farmers .who, Micawber-like, wait for "something to turn up" without taking an active part in the,', "turning np" process, are not likely to "set the Thames on fire."' Action and foresight are necessary if you would better your fortunes. This has been proved conclusively by farmers who cool their milk in parton's Coolers. ' Milk cooled; by this means is in perfect condition when it reaches'the factory,' whore it receives highest prices. Ask Albert J. Parton, Carterton,-about his Milk: Coolers.—Advt.