WORK AND WAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 308, 7 February 1910, Page 7

WORK AND WAGES.

THRESHING-MILL MEN'S GRIEVANCES. Ashburton, Saturday. The Guardian states that for some time past general hands employed on •threshing-mills throughout Ashburton •county have been dissatisfied with their pay, which is computed on a quantity 'basis'. Things are very unsatisfactory 'from their point of view this year, as, owing to lightness of grain and quantity of straw in the sheaf, the work of 'aggregating the bushels is a task nearly 'double' that of a year such as last. The men hold that this should be recognised, and that they should be paid at so much per hour rather than at so much per 'bushel as at present. The broken •weather experienced during the past few weeks brought the matter to a head, and as a specific result of a specially nnremmierative day's work on Thursday, the hands on a mill working in the Wakanui district yesterday morning made representations to the owner. The latter immediately s'aw the farmer whose grain was being dealt with, and asked if he was agreeable to being charged on time instead of quantity basis. On the farmer declining to take a step which would have such an important bearing on the interests of both county and Dominion grain-growers the •men at once stopped work, and the mill 'was left idle. It is understood that the imill hands throughout the county are fairly united as' regards the broad principle of the question at issue, and that •they consider they should be paid Is 3d per'hour and find themselves. Developments are anticipated. j J