SHEARERS’ DISPUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 February 1921, Page 4

SHEARERS’ DISPUTE.

A DEADLOCK REACHED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Feb. 10. At the hearing of the crutchers’ dispute by the Conciliation Council to-day. the employers said they had decided that an agreement or award to this class of workers was unpraeticable and inadvisable. and the dispute would have to go to the Arbitration Court to daeide whether there should be an award or not. The shearers' representatives said they were going to settle their own dispute irrespective Of Mr. Justice Stringer, Mr. Justice Frazer, or anyone else. They would arrive at an agreement with the employers all right. The employers should make no mistake about that. THE OWNERS’ TERMS. A CORRECTED STATEMENT. WellingtajJ, Last Night, Regarding the shearers’ dispute, Mr. VV. H. Nicholson (secretary of the New Zealand Sheep-Owners’ and Fanners’ Federation) stated that the report appearing in the morning papers was not correct. The actual offer made by the employers was the amounts mentioned with the addition of a cost of living bonus in each case, to be decided by the Arbitration Court on the basis of the present bonus. This amounted to an extra 13s per week, or 3y 4 d per hour. The actual present award rates, excluding this bonus, were; Shearers 30s per 100; pressers £3 16s P er week, or 2s per hour: other shed hands £3 5s per week, or' Is 10d per hour; youths £2 10s per week, or Is fid per hour. In all these cases the men are “found.” The rates for books are £4 per week, and cooks’ assistants £3 10s. Mr. Acland stated that the sheepowners were prepared to take the whole matter to the Arbitration Court and to abide by its decision. It was stated on behalf of the . shearers that they would not go to the Court.