SHEARING HELD UP

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2887, 27 September 1916, Page 8

SHEARING HELD UP

" TROUBLE AT TE MATA STATION •Sheep turned back to the w.. , PADDOCKS • By Telegraph—Fress Association. ' \ Hastings, Spptombcr 26. - Shearuig operations', wore to havo started to-day at: To' Mats. station. .The nion stato that tho manager offered 225. 6d. per hundred, and that after discussion'"they, refused to accept less than,2ss.iTho manager states that lie offered £1 and 2s. 6d. war boaitis, and that jf the /award fixed 25a. later they would be paid that amount for the bheep- shorn. The offer was refused', and tho shoop woro turned out in tie paddocks. 'Slome information in icgard to the prospects of tho shearing season was given to a reporter yesterday by Mr. 0. Grayndler, general eeoretary of tho Agricultural and l Pastoral Workers' Union. Mr. Grayndler has been attending meetings of shearers in. all parts'of tho Dominion, from Dunedin to Urftwera. Tho feeling of workers employed iu. the shearing industry,, he said, was one of determination to obtain the rates dcoide'd on by tho A.P.U. Conference. The Maoris in the Poverty Bay district, were 'even loss, inclined than Europeans to accopt employment at a lower rate. Thoy bad their. homes and sections of land,; and were not compelled bv circumstances to go to sheds unless. the pay was favourable. Many employers recognised that tho demands were fair, and were already engaging workers at the rates specified. This applied- to shod's in Bannevirko, Hastings, Gisborne, and Wairarapa distriots, as well as flio South Island. Sir Grayndler added that ho had- received 'several, letters from Australia stating that few shearers would ho making tho; tripthis year in view of tbo scarcity, of men on the other sidb of the Tasman. Even at 30s. a hundred, and £3 a week for shed hands, all tho men wanted could not be. found. Owing to strikes' imd bad weather, also, tho Australian season was later "ban usual. ■ •

"The next annual show of tho Feildiufi A. and 1 P. Association is to. Ims Ijeld on. February 6 and,.7, am] the annual' West, Coast Earn Fair, will 1)0 \ hold on February 8 and 9. ■\ ; ;