FARMERS' UNION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8897, 17 August 1907, Page 2

FARMERS' UNION.

The Feilding branch met on Friday afternoon. Mr W. G. Pearce, who presided, read a copy of a circulai from the Executive concerning tlio proposal to set up a central committee to arrange for tho defence, of farmers before tho Arbitration Court. Ho said t-liero was no desire on the part of tho farm labourers in this district to form a union. In regard to the eight hours system, he could not see < that it would be possible to carry on the daily iudustrj' under such a regulation. Mr Gilford said the farm labourers in the Sandon district were opposed to the formation of a union. Mr Chas. Selby said he was paying Is an hour, and he thought that was a fair wage. If the Union undertook to defend its members before tho Court he thought non-members should be excluded from the benefits. It was shown, however, that nonmembers would equally benefit from tiic action of tho Union in this case. Mr Geo. Wheeler, in moving the exclusion of the farm labourers from the operation of tho Act, said it would only be following tho example of tlio State in regard to tlio railway employees. It was clearly seen that the exigencies of the public service would not permit of these employees coming under the operation of the Arbitration Act, and in his opinion there were still stronger reasons why the farm labourers should be exempt. It should not be necessary to remind any of them that in contending with nature tho farmer was in quite a different position- to the manufacturers. To the latter it was immaterial for tlio progress of his work whether tho weather was fine or stormy, for ho conducted iiis work undor a good roof and by means of artificial light if the sunlight failed; therefore iu manufacturing there need to bo no interruption to a day's work of eight hours. But it was far otherwise with the farmers, for their operations were in groat measure dependeut on the weather. Often little or no work could be doue, but tho farmer paid his men .just the .same, whether the team was engaged iu ploughing or merely eating its head off in the stable. In the case of a spell of bad weather arrears of work had to be overtaken, and under the present good feeling existing between farmers and their men it was overtaken, for what ploughman would dream of knocking oil at 5 o'clock if the soil was in good order and there was still half an acre to drill. For lie took an interest in his work, aud remembered the many days he could work but little and was'paid in full nevertheless. He thought it was a shameful condition of things when it was possible for a few discontented persons to organise and cite thousands of fanners to appear before a Court at a groat distance from their homes, and if it happened hero, as it had already happened .in the South Island, where no less than 7000 had been cited, the effect could not fail to bo tho rupture of the harmonious relations now existing between the farmers and their labourers. It was known that such proposals did not emanate from tho men most interested, but from persons who were creating strife. How much better it would be if the people of the country were united in an endeavour to improve the natural industries, and the time would be hastened towards a much better goal for tho labourer, namely, when each would be able to work on his own freehold farm. The speaker moved "That in the opinion of this Branch agricultural labourers should be excluded from the operation of the Arbitration Act, because tho natural industries cannot be carried on with the same regularity as manufactories, and that the Executive be asked to take action to have this carried out." Mr Chas. Selby, in seconding the motion, pointed out that manufacturers could pass on to the public any increase of cost occasioned in their industries by the working of tho Arbitration Act, but such a means was not possible to the farmers, the price of whose products was decided in the Englisii market. Mr Bowater said the relations between the farmers and their labourers could not be tho ;saiue as in other industries, as tho farm labourer to-day was likely to be a farmer to-morrow. Tho motion was carried. In regard to tho appomtmont of a central committee to act for the Farmers' Union if the whole wore cited before the Court, Mr Wheeler was of the opinion that it would have the effect of making the work of the agitators simple. If the farmers were cited, let tliembe cited individually. He moved that it should be left to the farmers to dofend themselves individually. Mr Fitzherbert seconded the motion. As showing the great inconvenience and loss caused to the country employers from the operation of the Act, Mr Thomas Gifford said no less than 120 owners of engines had been cited to the Court by a very few discontented individuals, who then did not succeed in their purpose. The motion was adopted. _______ I