THE SHEAREHS' DISPUTE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 158, 13 October 1910, Page 8

THE SHEAREHS' DISPUTE

AN ABORTIVE CONFERENCE. By Telegraph. —Press Association. , Gisborne, Last Night. A conference was held to-day between six representatives of the sheepowners of Poverty JBay and six representatives from the local Shearers' Union in an 'endeavor to effect a settlement in connection with the dispute as to the rate of shearers' wages. After <lis?ussing the matter, the parties failed to agree upon a settlement and the conference terminated. Mr. R. M?Rae, organiser for the shearers' Union, states that Mr. H. B. Williams, chairman of the conference, told thf: shearers that the em plovers were willing' to ijive them the award existing in Wellington but could not get away from the instructions received from the head office of the Employers' Federation.

, The shearers' spokesman replied that they would accept the Wellington award that had just expired, bat would expect a higher rate of pay as? they held that the conditions of labor in this district were different from those in any other part of the Dominion. The shearers in this district had to cart and pack their rations, in some instances, ten to fourteen miles at .their owm expense. The employers refused to agree to this proposal, and refused to discuss the shed hand question at all, following the advice received from the head office. The chief grievance the shearers ihad was that the employers insisted upon fchem finding their own cook, oooldng utensils and firewood, and also expected them to kill their own meat, though the latter point was not brought up at the conference. Interviewed, Mr. H. B. Williams stated that the employers at the conference had agreed to supply cooking utensils antf firewood for the shearers. In regard to the higher rate of pay because of shearers having to pock and cart rations long distances in this district, he stated that he did not 'know a single station Vhere the shearers had to pack or cart their stores. The catering was always done by the station, and it was a rule on all stations to kill the meat required for the shearers. Mr. W. E. Griff en, of Napier, wag present at the conference to watch proceedings on behalf of the Federated Association of employers.