SHEEP SHEARING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 53, 11 June 1910, Page 5

SHEEP SHEARING.

SHEARERS ORGAXISIXG FOR IMPROVED a IXDITIOXS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedhi. Last Xight.

Mr. M. Laracy, general secretary of the N.Z. Shearers' Industrial Union of Workers, addressed the local members of the Association in the Trades Hall to-night. In the course of .his remarks he advocated the organisation of the union, and said it desired to approach the Slieepowners' Association and bring about a conference to draw u,p a scale of pay for shed workers., The union would not encourage a strike. Its members took up the position that they would not engage at less than £1 per hundred. Australian shearers had written stating that tliey would not come over and shear under that price. The time had come when all country workers should organise into one body.

At the conclusion of Mr. Laracy's remarks it was decided to appoint an agent of the Association in Dunedin, and that no member accept engagement except through him. Ft was also decided that no shearer shall engage a stand until .171 award is provided for the rest of the men in tihe shed.

Subsequently Mr. Laracy received a telegram from the secretary of the Wellington branch of the Union to the effect that an award must be given for shed hands before shearers would accept engagement.