SHEARERS' WAGES

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1932, Page 5

SHEARERS' WAGES

AWARD DISPUTE

“COOLIE” RATE ALLEGED.

(Per Press Association — Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, August 23

The Conciliation Council discussed in open meeting to-day matters m connection with sheep and wool, the parties being the Shearers’ Union and the Sheepowners’ Federation. An agreement was reached on practically 1 all points except the rates of pay. The employers’ offer was "stated to be 16s for shearing one hundred sheep either by hand or machine.

The Union stood . for 21s per 100

Mr Nicholson, for the employers, said: “We will offer ,16s 8d for one year,, and see how things pan out.” For the Union, Mr Cook said: “We cannot accept that coolie rate I It amounts to a reduction of close on 60 per cent, compared with the wages of four years ago.”

Mr Cook said that th 4 prospects of the coming clip were bright, and he went on to declare that, in the years of glorious prosperity, the shearers did not get a share in that prosperity.* Now, in a time 0 f temporary slump, they were expected to suffer. Mr Cook said later that the shear6rs had arranged to: shear over one million aheep in the Norjih Island at 21s per hundred, and ho gave it as his own! opinion that the other side did not represent the sheep farmers of: the Dominion, and he did not belieye that they really wanted any agreement this year. He said that it would cost more than 21s per hundred if they created trouble by sticking to their offer, which wa s an insult to the shearers.

Mr Nicholson denied -that the sheep 7 owners did not want an agreement, and he said that it boiled down to what the sheepowners were able to pay. It w r as absurd to call it a starvation wage when 16s 8d per day with keep could be earned. Mr Jas, Roberts, speaking for the Union, said that it, was recognised that the sheep farmers’ position was bad, but that did not justify a further reduction in the wages of the workers. An adjournment was made to the afternoon. * , ' The whole afternoon was spent in a committee discussion. • Although it is understood that the parties came fairly close in their requirements, wages still remained a barrier. No agreement was reached.