SHEARERS' ACCOMMODATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 104, 27 January 1919, Page 8

SHEARERS' ACCOMMODATION

WOBK OP .INSPECTION , . ' . The Department of Labour lins . been specially active eince the present shearing operations commenced, in- inspecting the nccominodation provided for tha shearers, and at the head, office, Te Aro, reports sent in from all parts of JCeiv Zetland are daily iling up An officer of .the Department on Saturday told a Dominion representative that the apparent need for special activity this season had arisen out of statements that in some of the principal places whore shearers congregated* in pursuance of their calling tho recent epidemic had been particularly virulent, These alleKations had, it appoared, ljeen soinswhat highly coloured, but the Department had seen the necessity for ensuring absolutely thai; shearers should, hove proper ventilation nnd sanitary arrangements in their quarters everywhere. With this in view it had sent to the- Gisborne and Hnwke's Bay districts this 6eason an additional inspector to aid the local ones in their work. The inspector's Work was not by any means simple, and it most frequently entailed long, journeys into the baclcblocks.' A typical report shown to the Dominion* representative referred to a station thirty miles by road from Xfasterton, and dealt with every detail of the provision made for the shearers' aceominodntion. The Act under i-hich the inspections were made, said the officer interviewed, wan rather cumbersome, nnd required amendment in one or two points. As matters stood at present, two seasons sometimes elnpsed before the Department's requisition's, to" employers were carried out. ■ Inspectors generally could not commence their work of a season on any great scale , till the spring began, and their requisitions under the Act as it stood did not require the station-owner to have necessary improvements completed till the following .Tune. If by Juns the work was not completed, the Department had to take proceedings to obtain an; order from a Magistrate. All of this sometimes meant excessive delay. The Department's officers are at present preparing for the informal ion of sheepowners a clear definition of <he requirements that must be met in the matter of accommodation. Quite a lame portion of this matter is not denned in, (he Act.