SHEARERS AND LABOURERS UNION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2319, 16 February 1892, Page 3

SHEARERS AND LABOURERS UNION.

A meeting of persons interested in the Shearers and Labourers Union was held in the Social Hall, Temuka, on Saturday night. There was a fair attendance. Mr B. Hammond, of Geraldine, occupied the chair, and made a brief speech, in the course of which he advocated the importance of unions, not only from a wages J point of view, but also as a means of tiecuring proper representation of the working classes in Parliaments. He then invited Mr McDonald, a delegate from the Australian Shearers Union to address the meeting. Mr McDonald, who spoke at great length, said he was not there to dilate on unionism. He concluded that there was no occasion for him to advocate it, for its 'principles were so well known that it Jlßaeded no words of his to emphasise \ iffiem. He desired to point out, however, some of the ruling points, and in connection therewith, he might have to say something disparaging of N.Z. unions, although he did not wish to disparage those who had taken part in promoting them. In 1886, Messrs Temple, Slattery, and Cook began to organise among Australian shearers, and their mission extended to N.Z., where it met with unbounded success, far greater indeed in proportion than in New South Wales or Victoria, At the end of the shearing no less than 2777 men had paid the entrance fee of 2s 6d, and after all expenses had ibeen paid the sum of remained £Bq to the good. Next year it >vsb anticipated that oven greater results would accrue, but the support of New Zealand shearers was lifnspicuoqs by its absence, and only 879 Xid up. After consideration it wa® feaoloved to alter the constitution somewhat, and ultimately the management of the Now Ze a l aß d Shearers and labourers Union wa.s transferred to Oamani. The attitude of pastoralista in Now Zealand was doubtless accountable for the position

of affairs. They readily met the men, and generally showed a disposition for conference. In Australia a different order of thing reigned. The shearers were opposed on every side. In New Zealand when the delegates first came over, the price of shearing was down to 12s Gd. Next year it had risen, and the delegates were told that unionism was not necessary. However, there were many instances where agreements between the men and masters were not kept. There was nothing binding, the accommodation in may instances was slavish, and much remained to be rectified. He was instructed to say that the Australian Shearers Union were prepared to send over paid organisers in the interests not of the Australian Shearers Union, but for the benefit of the New Zealand Shearers and Labourers Union, and the nature of their future connection with the Australian Shearers Union was left to the New Zealand unionists themselves to determine. The first thing to be dealt with was a policy of reorganisation in New Zealand. It was of the utmost importance that something uniform should be determined upon. At present there were three or four different constitutions. It was necessary only one policy should be carried out. He proposed, therefore, that they should elect a committee to meet once a month for the of distributing information, and furnishing returns to a central committee when required. All information relative to the proceedings of the Australian Shearers Union would be sent in as regularly as possible, and every help given. Once , they understood the principles of the | work the greater would be their confidence in the union cause. Hitherto members had had a very imperfect idea of what was going on, and as a result there was dissatisfaction. The speaker then gave some statistics of the condition of affairs at the time of the strike in Queensland. Then the shearers had £11,931 to their credit. Their cause was | a good one, and they would have! triumphed only for the protracted wet season, which allowed the shearing to be , held over until there was a glut in the market. Then came the period of concession, when freedom of contract was admitted, and union and non-union men worked side by aide. This had done good to the unions, for fully 80 per cent, of the latter joined the union when its views were put before them by a mate on the board who was not a “ paid barracker.” Mr McDonald pointed out although freedom of contract was admitted., yet there were no regulations concerning a number of matters of interest to shearers, and practically still pastoralists had it much their own way. There was, however, no desire to break away from the present agreement with pastoralists, which had hitherto been loyally kept. He discredited the statement of Mr Whitely King, who said to a press representative that New Zealand shearers had earned £40,000 in Australia. By his (the speaker’s) calculation about £17,476 was the outside amount of their earnings, and he gave figures to justify his statement. Since his coming to New Zealand in December he had enrolled 700 members for the New Zealand Shearers and Laborers Union, and he desired that they should take steps that evening to reorganise. their branch here. The subscription was ss. There was no entrance fee. The entrance fee to the Australian Shearers Union was ss, and subscription 10s per annum afterwards. This included contribution to the accident fund. Mr McDonald gave a great deal of other general information, which space does not permit us to report. At the close of his address a motion was passed that it was desirable to form a committee of the New Zealand Shearers and Laborers Union in Temuka. Mr Monahan was then nominated as chairman, but declined to act. Mr Hammond then consented to act as chairman in the meantime, and Mr F. Hall (Australia) was elected secretary pro tem. Several persons signified their intention of joining the union, and the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chair.