TENUI NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10045, 20 July 1910, Page 7

TENUI NOTES.

fjON SHEARERS IN GENERAL. From Our Own Correspondent-. TfcJNUI, Tuesday. There is a difference of opinion here as to what will happen when it is time to start shearing. Same hold the opinion that there will be trouble, while others say that the pound per hundred will be given and everything run on smoothly. But why should there be any trouble? Is it not worth a pound per hundred for shearing? The small farmers have paidthe pound vc luntariJy for many years, and the question la, if small farmers can pay it, why not the large runholder, or is there truth in the old saying, that more brains are required to make a small | holding pay, than a large one; the small land holders certainly employ more labour per acre and pay higher wages. The most practical way to settle the dispute is to cut up the large holdings, then ,t. ere will| be n cre employeersC more employees, higher wages, better'food and accoromodf* tiun. The people who do n&t under stand shearing and shearers must not be hasty and inisjudge the shia rer as is too often the case, bhearing is skilled labour, and to become a first-class shearer a fair amount of mental ability, as well as physical strength is required; <hen again travelling expenses are consideable; steameri?, rail, coaches, all have to be paid out of the year's earnings. Then again a shearer is just as much human as a large • iunhulder. and perhaps more sensitive and kinder-| hearted, because he is man of travel and pract cal experience. A small farmer greets his shearer with a heartyj,shake of the hand, and is delighted to see them back again, shows him a good grass paddock for the horses. This pleases a shearer, because he is a man who is kind to dumb animals; then takes him to the house, shows h»m a clean comfortable bedroom, a meal is waiting spread on a white tablecloth and the best of food. , The shearer, being an observant man of travel, is most interesting sothe good lady of the house is pleased to see him back, and puts all sorts of questions about Auutralia and its blacks, snakes, kangaroos, and many other questions. Ho v different when the shearer gets among the large runholder.