SECRETARY'S NOTE-BOOK.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 42, 22 December 1911, Page 7

SECRETARY'S NOTE-BOOK.

By M. LARACV. As I pointed out previously, some of the sheepowners are ignoring the conditions and rates fixed in the shed hands' award. - • * •« j I again call attention to the fact that, ■ morally, the employers should pay at ' least the minimum rate fixed in the ; award mad© in Palmerston North in ; March, as the representatives of the : parties agreed to accept that award in the other industrial districts. In. Canterbury the Conciliation Court sat on October 20, .and the Wellington ; award was agreed to. On November i2O the Court affixed its seal to the i award, and it dates from October 20, 1911. • • m \ In face of this fact, how can any 'j employer pay woolrollers less than 30s i per week or fleecepicker.3 over 18 years I of age less than 27 s 6d? j A3 some of the sheepowners are pay- ! ing (or trying to pay) less, I will '■ thank any shed hand who is paid off under the award rates to notify mc of i same. * * * Complaints come along regarding : - some employers, who expect the shed hands to do gorse-cutting, chaffcutting, , etc. This the shed hands are not supposed ito do. One .employer is trying j to bluff his employees into doing such [ work by informing them that they are I creating a strike by refusing to grub Ms gors© while shearing is suspended. IHe also threatens to stop a day's pay, } etc., et.c l X The Union is, however, close- • ly watching, and if the workers who are being showed this point by some uai scrupulous employers will send along a • report steps will be taken to protect ; them. I * ■* » I The weather has been most unfav- ; ourahle for shearing. Machine shearI ing is not easy to obtain, but there is ' ; a good demand for blade shearers. «. .«• * A3 the head office is now closed., all ; business should be done through the office in the branch in which members : are employed. Members who have not voted are re-; quested to secure ballot papers and record their vote on all questions being dealt with. • * * ■ The -musterers, packmen., etc., are out to improve their conditions after this season, and there is no doxibt that \ room for improvement exists. « * * It will be a matter for the shearers' ! conference in April next to endeavour ;to do something for the workers in that branch of the industry. The 19s 6d rate is seldom heard of now. and let us hope that it is a thing of the past, and that shearers will continue to refuse to engage at less than £1. a- * * • Every member should do his utmost to build tip our Association, and I look forward to the time when we will be iv 'N-&\v "Zealand what the A.W.TJ. is iv Australia to-day.