THE SHEARERS' DISPUTE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10064, 11 August 1910, Page 5

THE SHEARERS' DISPUTE.

To theliiditor/ -; / • vSir,—ln your issue of to«day there appears a leaderette entitled the "Shearer's Dispute," in which you prophesy the Conciliation Council to be held in Palmerston North on Tuesday next will be abortive. You must, be evidently well informed. Yottsay it- is almost a waste > ( of time and money to attempt to conciliate or arbitrate at all. Just so; when the shearers have to contentTagainst the tactics used by the Employers. Since February, 1908, on which date the Employers came forward and voluntarily agreed to give £1 per 100 as a fair rate for [shearing, wool has advanced in most instances 33 to '45 per cent, and surely, if the work was worth £1 at the lower rate, quoted above, it is worthJ6l at the higher rate. Taking the advanced.price. atthe minimum, 33 per cent, and a -re* duction of 12& per cent in shearing rate as sought by the Employers, this means a distinct gain to the Em-; ployers of 45£ per cent. Where doe's the justification of the Employers' action come in? The Shearers-are not refusing the Award of the Court or Council.- What they are refusing to do is, is to sell their labour at the minimum - laid down by the Judge. Take for instance your paper. Do you ask public whether it is worth a penny per copy? No, you simply Bay, "that is my price; I cannot afford to sell it for less." Just the same as the Shearers are doing with their labour, only that

in the case of the Shearers" it has' been proved that their labour is worth the price asked by the fact that 50 per cent of the sheepowners have filled their sheds for this season at. £1 per 100. This has been admitted to me by one,of Wairarapa's prominent owners. The whole trouble has arisen by the action of one man, who was

the means of distributing confidential circulars, stating that the shearers were going to demand. 25) per 100 in their next Award, -fthich was absolutely devoid of truth. Jtfo such thing was ever mooted by the shearers that I am aware of. The Employers put forward their, claims as at 17s 6d, and would, I believe,' be content to split the difference, but having gone so far, and, finding they were "sold, "'they will hot admit it, but are going to see the matter out to see if it is possible to bring about a redcution in shearieg rates. Time alone will,prrve SJch an issue, As for arbitration or concilia'tion,fat the sitting pf the Councilia-., tipq Council?held on i Mfyy 17th last, .the' Employers* Assessors arrrived on the "scene two noun' ( at-, and came to this sitting

(with their hands "tied up? "likens'' (children, a*nd led by one man, itthcm they referred before attempt-j' ,>', in? to speak. Further than this after '- sitting frum 9 a.m. to 3 3'J p.m. t two 1 ■, of the three stated they had to leave. by train, -they had some every press-,, , ing appointments that it was impcra- /. ; tive thfy should keep, and packed . up their few papers and ieft f r the \ railway. s Assmti as the Shearers* assessors applied tu the chairman to exercise fc is power; and appoint other asse'ST' in their place to con-* elude the sit ing, these men cast ' their "presaine engagements" aside , > on being informed bv telephone . of J what took place, in the shearers insisting on carrj ing the si :tirg put properly. I leave the matter to * your readers to judge if this is conciliation. As for 1 being anxious for • ■ legislation to put down labour trusts; I can inform you that le?isltors can confine all their attention to Em- ( -' ployers' v Trusts for some time to . come with profitable results,' to prevent such anomalies as the case under ' *■" notice recurring. ,Now, sir, in con-

clusion, you are, to my mind, trying to throw dust in the eyes of the public, on the eve of the matter reaching a satisfactory and amicable settlement to both parties concerned.- , Trusting yon will do me the , honour ~ - of publishing this in its entirety.-—I -■ am, etc., > . ' - .. ' B. WILWfORE^ABBOTTi; Secretary Shearers,*, Union. N Master ton. August 10, 1901.