FARM LABOURERS’ DISPUTE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, 21 January 1908, Page 8

FARM LABOURERS’ DISPUTE.

EVIDENCE AT WAIMATE. Christchurch, January 18. The boy on the farm came into momentary prominence during the prbceedings before the Conciliation Board at Waimate. A shepherd, who had been called by the Union as a witness, said that no boy should be permitted a plough until he was 18 years of age. Mr Jones, one. of the farmers’ 'representatives, asked if the witness knew that a boy of 16 took the championship of South Canterbury at a ploughing match, competing against all comers. Witness said he must have been an exceptional boy. Mr Jones asked if the exceptions had not to be provided for as well as the others? , Later on, the boy himself, now a young man of 22, was called as a witness. He said he had been able to plough on the farm at 14 years of age. Ploughing was the easiest work that a boy could be put to on a farm. He had taken first prize against all comers in a ploughing match ’ when lie was 18. Any boy who had been brought up on a farm was capable of ploughing at 14. Turning out horses at night was not work, and that was all that remained to be done with the horses after G o’clock at night. He did not consider that bringing in the horses in the morning was working. He considered he began work -when he yoked bis horses in the plough. Witness was not receiving wages from liis father, and he had not worked on any farm but his father’s ; but if be did go out to work, be would consider he should get 27s 6d per week. He did not think that the majority of ploughmen were competent. A competent man should be able to put in a" crop and take it out without instruction from his employer. He would not join the Union because he was in a free country and believed in being a free man. If he joined the Union he would have to take wages from his father against his will. For a really good man 27s 6d a week was just enough When father and sons “pooled” their interests, and the sous did not get wages, there was an tinderstanding that the father would start bis sous on a farm of their own. Another farmer witness said that when he was only 11 years old he used to drive out, of the old style reapers, and before he was 12 he had worked a single furrow plough. At the first place on which lie worked he got 17s a week, and at the second place 18s for driving a team. At the age of 21 he bought a farm on his own account, having saved £3OO iu the five or six years lie had been receiving wages. Very few farm hands could do their work without being shown, but there were some really good men. Most of the competent men got farms of their own. Witness kept some sheep, and his little hoy, aged 7, went round them and got up any that were on their backs. Witness was paid no wage for working for his father. He used to get his tucker and a suit of dungarees occasionally. A suggestion was made by Witness that Mr Thorn, who is conducting the case for the farm labourers before the Board, is paid “a big fat salary. ’’ Mr Thorn said he would like to make a statement iu connection with this matter. He had heard it said, both at Geraldine and Waimate that he was being paid six guineas per week, but the fact was that for the ten weeks he had been conducting the case he had not received one penny iu wages, nor was lie under any engagement to receive any.