SHEARERS' SECTION

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 51, 1 March 1912, Page 12

SHEARERS' SECTION

SECRETARY'S NOTE-BOOK.

By M. LARACY.

If the shed hands who were employed during the recent shearing at Happy Valley Station will call upon Mr. Labatt,' Hereford street, Cliristchurch, they will receive balance due to them, as they were paid off at less than the award rate. Shod hands who were employed at Teviotdalo will also receive balanoe due to them from Mr. Hagger, at the Labor Department, Christchurch. Should any of the isaid workers be away from the district, I would advise them to communicate with myself. « • * I again request shed hands who received less than the rates specified in the award to forward information to mc, and on receipt of same the balance due will be collected. * * * There should be a marked improvement in the accommodation at the sheds throughout New Zealand next season, as the inspectors have, so far as I know, done their duty this season. In every case which I reported I wa3 satisfied that the complaint received attention. At the same time, the Act requires amending as suggested by conference last year. The result of the ballot • taken for election of delegates to oonfwenoe from Otan-o Union resulted as follows:— Messrs. W. Johnston/291; J. Stewart, 264; J. Holmes. 149. * *■ it Shearing still drags on in a few isolated cases in, the McKenzie Country, and our President is on© of those still engaged. * » s Ted Kennedy, the energetic secretary of the Canterbury Farm Laborers' Union, mot with a painful accident through a fall from his bicycle on Tuesday, February 13. He was unconscious for three days, having fractured his skull, besides receiving other minor injuries. * * * Ted was in harness when the accident occurred on a steep pinch on Mt. Michael, near Fairlie. His bike was not fitted with a brake, and he lost control of it. This is ono of the many accidents which have occurred about the same spot, and to a stranger the hill is a dangerous ono. * * * This accident is doubly unfortunate, as this is the time when Kennedy could do good work in organising the farm laborers, who are just beginning to realise that the reason the conditions tinder which they work and the wagos received by them are so poor because of their disorganised state. The farm laborers, not only in Canterbury, but in New Zealand, have much to thank their secretary for, and those who aro conversant with his history do not fail to acknowledge it. * * * From the North Island comes encouraging reports of the farm laborers forming unions, and when the great mass of country workers are thoroughly organised, politically and industrially, wo will be in a positron te fight for something better than ''la. per hour," "an. eight hours' day," "£-l per hundred," or "a fair day's pay for a fair day's work." * it * These are things te which many years have been spent in fighting as if they were te be Ihe be-all and end-all of the workers' struggle. They wero worth fighting for, certain-

ly, but we still have starvation -within a month of us if, through ill-health or unemployment, we are out of work, and we realise that we must delve deeper down into the origin and history-of the Labor movement if we desire to do any real find lasting good. * * * What an opportunity was missed at the last election through Labor in New Zealand being so divided within itself. Labor to-day should havo been in a position to force the contending parties iv the House into the one camp, or otherwise call the tune for both parties to dance to. Let us benefit by experience, and though we may not agree on all detail matters, we can surely pull together to return members who will be pledged to stand by a platform which may not go so far as some of us would desire, but which the whole of us will agree with so far as it does go. * * When we return Labor members wo will expect them to become organisers, though we must not expect them to be constantly "on the go," as much study is required to enable a man to become conversant with measures being dealt with in the Hotiso of Representatives. * * * Ere this can be done we must givo ear to the slogan of "Workers, unite!" and Easter in Wellington will be the time for on© and all to prove that petty differences and personal grievances can bo pushed aside, and that we aro really anxious to build up a Labor Party in this country. * * * I take it that this party will bo out to abolish rent, profit, interest, and the private ownership of land, and with that for its object, or part of it, why quarrel over tho christening ? Call it what we will, but- let us unite. * * * What is required in this and every other country is the economic education of the workers. If that is attended to, we need not worry about craft unions, industrial unions, political parties, or what not. Given a clear understanding of economic truths wo may safely leave the particular form of organisation to the workers themselves at the proper time. * # * Picture "Tho Maoriland Worker" with all organised labor in New Zealand behind it, and also picturo a confederation of federations which would allow us to dispense with tho services of many paid officials in positions which they now hold, and take advantage of their services in doing useful organising work out in the rough and tumble, as for many years men willing and ablo te do this will be rcquiied. * * * T am woll aware that tho problem of bringing and keeping together tlie great mass of workers is a difficult one, and can be done only through education. That education would be made easy by having moro organisers out without costing the workers more, besides the fact of having a paper of their own. All this can be done. Help to do it, and Watch Wellington at Easter timo. * * * During next week I hope te be able to run around a few of the mills in Canterbury, and I trust that on those mills men will see that their representative sends in for tickets and enrols the millhands, who aro to-day working under better conditions than prevalent a few years, ago. * x * I met Steve Borcham in Timaru on Tuesday hist, and was ploasod to see him looking much better than on the last occasion I met him. He is having a trip for t.fi*» cood of his health, and

will bo in Olnistohurch next week. Whilo in this city wo can expect Steve to mount tho rostrum and expound tho gospel of Labor or Socialism in a manner to call forth admiration from even his opponents. # » * Steve- has had 25 years' fighting in the movement in New Zealand, and whon I see good accommodation on stations I visit, I think of tho fight he fought to get it there. # * * "Ear-mark" in Syd. "Bulletin" : Is it any wonder shearers and rouseabouts often change their names? Recently came across "Tho 1911 Rousoabout and Shearers' Register." issued by Fat and Co., styling themselves tho Pastoral Employers' Association of Central and Northern Queensland. Tho publication is marked "For Members Only; Private and Confidential," and is accompanied by a statement, that an opinion has been- "taken as to its legality. Some of the comments on shearers and rouseabouts: — Undesirable; Troublesome; Grumbler; Very Tired: One-armed Man; Old Man, Past Work; Discharged for Insubordination ; Chairman; Extravagant; In and Out Cook; Has a Stiff Log; Eccentric; No Energy; Eyesight Not Too Goodj Past Work, St. Vitus' Dance.; Indifferent Worker; Dirty; Rowdy in Hut; Conscientious but Conceited'; Good Worker but Undesirable.; Pure and Simple Pointer; Always Sick; Refused to Work in Wet Weather; Big Lump of a Man, Very Tired; A Schemer; Good Worker, but Undesirable Man to have in Shed; Wet Sheep Man; Too Particular about Wet Sheep; Wants Watching. Don't know whose opinion was taken 33 to the legality of the publication, but the first timo I am billed as an undesirable character, I'll see what the opinion is worth. At present I value it at about tuppence. Feb. 22.