THE FARM LABOURERS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 2035, 24 December 1907, Page 3

THE FARM LABOURERS.

UNION SECRETARY EXAMINED,

At Ashburton on Thursday, before tho Conciliation Board, Mr Thorn was called as a witness, but before giving evidence he asked if he was entitled to his expenses. The Chairman: Your question surprises me; but if you have been cabpoonoed you can claim expenses. Examined by Mr Grigg, witness stated that he was 25 years of age, a machinist by trade, and secretary of the Farm Labourers’ Union. He had been apprenticed to the moulding trade. Have you done any agricultural work v —Not much. . Witness said he had got his information regarding the Union’s demands as an agent for the Union, and to the best of his knowledge from thoroughly competent men. The best men on farms and stations were probably not members, because the agent of the Union had been unable to get in touch with them. He would he willing that a vote should he taken of farm labourers to ascertain if the Union’s demands, should be granted, hut would not undertake to abide by the result of the ballot. Do you" wish to pay the incompetent man a wage equal to that paid the experienced ?-We wish to pay the competent men —the mass or the men—better wages than they are being paid to-day. Continuing, witness said it did not matter what -wages were paid farm labourers in other countries. What the Union wanted was what the work done was worth. After numerous questions had, been askeO. witness stated that if ho had his way he would nob allow private people to let work by contract. The State should do everything.' Would that not undermine industry and thrift?—Oh, no! It hasn’t done so yet. I was just as thrifty wheu working for the Government aS when I was working outside. If all were thrifty there would be a terrible lot out of work. As the result of several questions regarding the Union’s demands in respect to boy labour, witness stated that he had submitted to the Board definitions of the several clauses in the demands, and that it was there explained that Clause 10 was not intended to apply to boys under 16 years of age so far as wages were concerned. , Mr Sheat and Mr Aclaud stated that they had not seen the document referred to. ....... The Chairman explained that he had received a copy, and assumed that the membeers of the Board and the parties had copies. Witness stated that the reason he had not supplied copies was that Mr Evans had informed him that he (Mr Evans) had restrained the employers’ representatives from asking forVnem. t . , ' . Continuing, witness stated that boys under i 6 could he employed at wa ges mutually agreed upon, but boys under 16 were not to work teams of more than two horses._ He did not draw up the schedule of demands. That was done 18 months before lie was connected with the Union. He agreed that the Union’s minimum was equal to the maximum wastes paid at present. He did not think that competent men would suffer to the extent anticipated if incompetent men received wages equal to those paid competent men. He behoved in an unconditional preference clause. If they had such a clause the tendency would be for all the men to join the Union, and if everv man was in the Union the employer would have the same power of choice that he possessed now. To Mr Jones: Unconditional preference would mean that an employer would have to take a Unionist whether or not his character and ability were good You want to saddle us with that. I want to saddle you with that, hut we won’t be too hard on you. Mr Aclaud: You want to get what you consider the work is worth? Yes. '' Supposing the farmer is unable to pay, what is there to do? That s lus funeral. . It simplv comes to tins, then, — that if he has to pay the wages, 1 whether he makes the money or not, ami if the whole farming community goes bankrupt, it is their affair entirely. To Mr Kennedy; Wheu he was m Ashburton, men had come to him ami said that they would like to give evidence before the Board, but they did not wish to do so for fear of offending their Men who had originated the Union had told him that it was the practice of employers to disorganise the niffereut union executives by intimidation, ami by dismissiugTneu. Mr Jones; That is absolutely untrue. Mr Grigg hoped that direct evidence would be brought to support the statement, because it was a most serious one. He bad not the slightest objection to all his men attending and giving evidence. Mr Kennedy; Yon are a gentleman. , , Mr Aclaud said that he had sent word to iiis manager to inform the men that they could come to the Board and give evidence for or against, anti that no deduction would be made for the time lost. “’Mr T. H- Davis Truro, S. A. writes “ Some mouths ago I had a •very severe attack of _ diarrhoea. Knowing that Chamberlain’s Colic, Cholera, and Diarrhoea Remedy had effected a cure in many similar cases I decided to see what it would do tor me, and am pleased to say it checked the attack. I can confidently recommend Chamberlain’s Colic, Cholera, and Diarrhoea Remedy to anyone suffering from the same complaint. ” For sale by T. H. Brediu, Co-op. Stores, Marton, and D. "Wilson, Eongotea. Indigestion is caused by failure of the gastric juices. Pearson’s Peptochlor removes the trouble. Is, 2s Gd