SHEARERS VERSUS SQUATTERS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 180, 17 November 1876, Page 2

SHEARERS VERSUS SQUATTERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVENINR MAIL. . Sir, —In yesterday's issue of your contemporary, I noticed a letter signed " A Squatter," complaining of certain statements in your leading article of the 14th instant, which, he states, are likely to mislead. In the first place, he contradicts the advertisement that the men are getting 203. per 100 at Pudding Hill. He says they are only getting 16s. Bd., which is a vile falsehood, as they are getting 205., and I defy " A Squatter " or any other squatter, to prove the contrary, and, mure than that, there is an advertisement in the Press (a Canterbury paper, I believe), calling for shearers at the Cheviot Hills station at 20s. per 100. Perhaps "A Squatter" *vill know where that station is situate, if he does not know where Lear Downs is. " A statement regarding Mr. Reid starting this week at 16s. Bd. with a full board i* also false, for Mr. Reid does not start this week, and the shearers are not engaged at 16s. Bd. The squatters are evidently playing a game commonly practised by swindlers where the chance of winning does not always rest with the best hand, but more on the ability of the player at bluffing, or rather intimidating, his opponents into submission. At the Kurow and Benmore, they have a few shearers who were weak-minded enough to accept their price—l6s. Bd. ; the rest are learners ; in fact, all the rouseabouts and shepherds they can spare, and put on to shear. They then spread a report very industriously that they are full-handed, and to prevent men from seeing the real state of their army, a trooper for each shed is applied for and obtained. A notice is also posted upon a conspicuous place that the presence of strangers (not shearers, mark) is not desired inside the shed. I do not object to the squatters taking on learners, but how is it that a learner never gets a chance unless in a season like this I If a man is looking for shearing—if he is not known—the first question is: "Are you a shearer?" if he were to say he was wishing to learn, not much encouragement would be given him; he might get a job on tats station as an extra hand, but no more ; and if it were not for the

good natures of shearers in showing men how to shear, shearers would soon pretty scarce. In conclusion, Editor, I sincerely hope that the sheatetj \ will not be gulled into accepting the prfc, j of the squatters, who think, as they pay the money, they have a r'ght to fixth* price ; and more, think the shearers ought to accept it without a murmur, as witnew their agreement not to employ any shearer who has refused to shear for their price. Being one of their articles, 0 { course they are perfectly justified in trying to get their sheep shorn as cheaply as poj. sible ; and the shearers are quite as much justi6ed in asking a reasonable price, which they are only doing in asking 20s. per 100 sheep. Shearer.