Shearers' Union.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 1, Issue 4, 15 December 1910, Page 3 (Supplement)

Shearers' Union.

WELLINGTON BRANCH

Our Masterton correspondent writes under date December sth, 1910 :—

Mr. M. Laracy, General Organising Secretary of the New Zealand Shearers' and Wool-shed Employees' Association, states that Mr. Abbott has resigned the position of secretary to the Wellington branch of the Shearers' Union, but has accepted, and been appointed to the position of organiser to travel in the Wellington district. The organisers had all reported good progress up to the present, and they expected to increase the membership considerably. Mr. R. Mcßae, who has been in town attending the meeting. would return to-day to continue the work of organising in the Poverty Bay district. Mr. B. Hawkins, the Maori organiser, will proceed to Hawke's Bay at the end of the week. Mr. Laracy anticipates that before the end of the shearing season the membership of the Federation in New Zealand will have been increased by some two thousand, including a large percentages of Natives. The curtailment of expenses at the extraordinary conference has met with the general approval of members throughout the dominion, and a resolution was passed at the Masterton meeting endorsing the work of that conference. Mr. Abbott goes out organising next week. and has undertaken to advocate the policy agreed to at the extraordinary conference, and do all in his power to

convince members of its desirability and necessity.

A correspondent writes : —Fairfield was cut out by the beginning of December, and the lads there passed a resolution thanking Mr Laracy and the other officers of the Union for their efforts on behalf of members, and expressing continued confidence in the Executive.

J. Bethune, shed representative, writes ;—McDonald Downs was cut out first week in Decembr, rate £1 per 100. All hands took shearers' tickets and levy tickets, bar the cook, his reason being the same old tale—his last year as a cook.

Invention has made it possible for a few men to own most everything in sight. The only remedy for this is public ownership of the means of production and distribution.

The time will come when it will bo as much a disgrace to be rich as to be any other kind of thief.