FARM WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 207, 21 May 1918, Page 8

FARM WORKERS

RESOLUTIONS OF CONFERENCE SHEARERS' ACCOMMODATION <\ Business of corisidunibie importance to agricultural workers was _ considered at Saturday's aud yesterday's sittings ot the Agricultural aad Pastoral Workers' Association Conierencß. Air. A Cook presided.

When the remit, from the Haka.taram.ea Station, "That it is better to continue with arbitration, because legally we oan gut oar grievances adjusted, and as wo do not wish to go back to direct action and leavn disloyalists to take advantage of tho situation," came up, Mr. S. Borehutii mentioned that in Otago tho twgoy was raised that the A.P.U. was a striking organisation because it was registered under the Trade Union Act. Hβ thought that another attempt should be made to register under the Arbitration Act. This would allay the suspicion of some men who did not wish to be involved in strikes. He thought that nil agricultural and pastoral workers should 'form distinct arbitration unions, and then link up and register as a federation. He moved: "That another attempt bo made to get the A.P.U. registered, us an Industrial Federation of Workers under the I.C. A. Act."

This lapsed for want of a seconder. Mr. A. M'Leod said that as an A.P.U. tho organisation could not proceed under the Arbitration Act. That Act had been used to destroy the one big union. However, the Act had to he adhered to, because the industrial, strength of the A.P.U. and all other unions wae so small *n compared with the general industrial population as to make strike action fuii!o and dangerous. They were forced to depend on sectional action under the Arbitration Act. The poeition had compelled him to endorse more strongly than over the necessity for Labour political action. They should organise industrially, and then politically, as a voflex of their industii;>] organisation. Here the discission dropped. Hut Inspection. Mr. C. Grayndler moved the Hakataramea remit: "That the inspection of accommodation be done by ether than the police, and that such inspection take place during sheariiig." This was seconded by Air. A. ■!. Middlemiss, who said that the police generally paid a visit to the squatter's house and took opinions thero before seeing tha huts. In some cases the police- never even saw.tho men about the accommodation they' had lo live in. Mr. Boreham strongly condemned the police inspection system, which was so utterly ineffective as to leave tho men subject lo wretched accommodation all over the Dominion.

Mr. W. Boone pointed out that tho police were detorred from their inspections because the financial allowance made was insufficient to meet their expenses. To deputatioiiifie the Government would bo to repeat what had alveady been done several times fruitlessly. In Canterbury bad accommodation existed, although roported for six consecutive seasons. Even condemned accommodation was still in use.

Mr. A. M'Leod read extracts from tlio newspaper report of the deputation from the 1913 conference to Mi - . Massey. Mr. Massey had made promise on that occasion which still remained unfulfilled. The particular eheds mentioned in (hat report were os bad to-dny as they were then. The police inspection seemed to be utterly uselcs3. While the'present Government wns in power it .was almost waste of time to discuss the question. Mr. A. Com said that last year he had reported .stations to the poiice and io Labuw and the Actiug-Aiini-wr of Lsuoiir, Mr. Heme*. The luitor had replied thai; seven stations had been uiiiructsd to improve their nccommoaauoa. Absolutely noimiig had boon done, iu Giaborno the acuuniuiodiit'.on was diss.-aeeiul. Mr. ]l. 8. ltsgister said that accommodalion in Jlnrlborough wfus a credit io 75 per cent, of this owners, whose example couid weil bo copied elsewhere. The remit was carried uns.a;mously.-. Mr. S.' horeham then moral: "That conference wait on the Minister of Labour to impress him with the necessity of a better administration." ]Ie said that while Labour leaders were imprisoned lor breaches of War litguliiiious the statutory laws of the Dominion were not being administered. Good accommodation had en excellent efl'ect upon tha character and habits of thoso who enjoyed it. ita - . A. J. King seconded the niotinn and paid u high tribute to Mr. Boreluiin, whose Beli'-sacrificinjj work Jiad greatly contributed to the piiasayo of Ui« Hut Accommodation Act. The- motion was tarried unanimously. Uniform Combs. Tho following remit, was carried:— "That the uss of medium or wide combi; be not permitted unless with the v'jieo of a majority oi ehenrers engaged in ;i shed and thtn only on the unaerstauding that ali shearers can be supplied , with the wine gear."