THE SHEARERS’ DISPUTE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 2037, 28 December 1907, Page 8

THE SHEARERS’ DISPUTE.

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FARMERS’ UNION.

7 Last, week Mr Pryor, secretary for _ the Employers’ Federation of New Zealand, addressed meetings at Palmerston and Feildiug on the shearers’ ' and farm laborers’ disputes tliat are 1 to come before the Arbitration Court. Mr Pryor urged the Far--1 mers’ Union to join with the Employers’ Association in contesting . the cases, and advised that they 1 should not go before the Conciliation 1 Board so long as an active stirrer--1 up of strife, in the person of Mr An--7 drew Collins, was a member of it. Mr Pryor* also stated that there was 1 very little In the shearers’ dispute ; ' it appeared to be got up more for u the sake of having a dispute, and he J considered that a conference with the shearers would probably settle ; the matter, the clause to be" strenui ously opposed being that giving pj*a« 1 fereuce to unionists. The Farmers’ Union. ittUVGVer, 1 could not take part iii these dis- ‘ putes as it includes both employers * and employed, so a largely attended | meeting of the executive of the local branch of the Farmers’ Union was held in Palmerston yesterday to cou- ' sider the position. The president, ’ Mr J. G. Wilson, occupied the chair. ; The meeting lasted several hoars, ’ the discussion concerning the disputes and the whole policy of the 1 union being taken in committee. The sheep-owners of Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and West Coast ! have received notice of the shearers’ dispute, hut so far no notice has been received regarding that of the farm laborers. Mr Wilson, as president, had issued a circular—which wo published recently to members suggesting that the amount of the recently-remitted sheep tax should he set aside to cover the cost of dealing with the cases. It was finally decided that the Farmers’ Union should deal with the two disputes. In reference to the shearers’ dispute, Mr Wilson and Mr Cooper, vice-president, were authorised to proceed to Wellington by the opening of the Conciliation Board’s sittings on December 31. and state the reasons why the farmers decline -to have their case brought before Mr A. Collins. Sheep-owners within the Farmers’ Union will send circulars to all brandies asking that meetings be held to consider the situation and adopt a uniform defence scheme and policy in veiw of the shearers’ dispute and that of the farm laborers, which may come later. Should the case come before the Arbitration Court, the organisation, as set up, will fight it jointly. Meantime, they will be prepared to meet the shearers with a view to arriving at an amicable settlement. The hear-ing-is set down for January 17th, at Palmerston.