"THE SHEARERS DISPUTE."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10063, 10 August 1910, Page 6

"THE SHEARERS DISPUTE."

To the Editor.

Sir,—-It is to be regretted that a gentleman writing over the signature "Bash" should characterise the efforts of a body of hard working men to obtain a fair remuneration for performing exceedingly hara work as "exorbitant and intolerable." After half a century's experience of shearing and wool shed work, I can only say that under existing conditio, is, that on ths whole the wages earned during the short period that shearers are employed are not unduly large. It should not be lost sight of that every year it is more and mote difficult for shearers to obtain a large tally during the season, on account of the cutting up of large estates, and the division of the flocks which depastured upon them. ! Added to this, a large majority of of pastoralists start shearing about the same date, in order to get their fat stock and wool early on the market. These are factors, which militate in no small degree against shearer's gatting a good "run" of work by going from shed to shed as was the case

some years ago. ( To indicate what the average earnings uf shearers amount to I will quote some figures, v?hieh I trust "Bush" will peruse, culled from the "Standard of Empire," and republished in the "Canterbury Press" a short tirrie since. True, these figures rafer to the Commonwealth of Australia, but it will, 1 think, be found that they approximate very closely to tiie uaraings'of shearers in New Zealand:—"ln the Federal Arbitration Court, July, 1907, tlu Australian Workers Union, whica include the shearers, sought to have definite and increased rates fixed for shearing thruughout Autsralia, and in support of its case the Union took into Court I the tally sheets from 638 sheds, repres2r.ting 9328 shearers, and the shearing of nearly 15,000,000 sheep, and it was shown that the average gn;s3 weekly earnings of the men was £2 16s 4£d in machine shearing sheds, and £2 His 9J in hand shearing sheds, or an average daily tally —five and a half days per week of about 52 sheep. Out. of Uiut j

money earned at shearing una iu come the amount of the tJCKer bill—which is estimated at''lss —and sundry expenses, such as shears and combs, and cutters, oil, etc., estimated at 2s, and travelling expenses. . To show that these figures did not err on the side favourable to the Bhearer, the returns put in by tne employers, representing for the years 1904, 1905 and 1906 the work of 7119 shearers, at 481 sheds, and the shearing of nearly 11,500,000 sheep, the average gross earnings of the machine shearers were shown to be £2 12s BJd per week, or an average daily tally of about 48 sheep. The Queensland figures, however, were in excess of this amount, being in 1904 £3 13s, in 1905 £4 6s, and in 1906 £3 19s 6£o\ or an average daily tally of about 66£, 78 and 72 respectively, sheep being then paid for at the rate of £1 per 100." In calculating the earning in this Dominion weather conditions should be taken largely into account, for it is no uncommon occurrence for shearing, particularly in early sheds, to be delayed for days together through wef.—l am, etc., OBSERVEK. I

To the Editor.

Hurro, Misser Editer, how tha way. I never see you now long time, thas rite isen't it, unly I see you paper, thas ail. I lika look you paper you now, for the shearin'. I see one feller he call hmself tha "Bush." Well, thas rite, too. I me think that feller he been in the bush long time. Well, Misser Editer, tha feller he say tha man he mad if ho got tha machine. Well, all tha Maori he say mus be lot man mad in Wairarapa, he say 14s sd, thas good pay for unskilled laber, leta him tiy shear for tha week; he find he not unskilled, he dead orlright. Tha fella he say the demands for the shearer union are intolerable. Well, Missar Editer, the Maori he done know tha meaning for tha word, but if ha mean for less than one poun for tha 100, well thas r.o good for the Maori, we want tha poun or we stop home and let Misssr Hush and tha missus shear tha hipi. Thas all I tell you now. Kia Ora. ) KATIMANA.