THE SHEARERS' DISPUTE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10066, 13 August 1910, Page 6

THE SHEARERS' DISPUTE.

(To the Editor)

Sir, —Again, I beg space through your widely circulated columns to reply to "Bush" of this morning's issue, in which he states I have as-

sisted him in his comparison. If he thinks fit, he may claim that, but I may tell "Bush" that I can at least claim consistency by quoting facts, and "Bush" has in quoting the earnings of manual labour displayed a similar lack of knowledge to that of his quotations of the shearers' earnings. "Bush" has made very forcible use of the shearers' earnings when he states that the slowest shearer who is physically fit and, who can keep his tools in proper order can earn 18s per day, while the expert can earn 455, but he very carefully evades to strike an average earning and I will here tell "Bush" that he is considerably at sea in his quotations of the shearers' earnings; and to put it in short, altogether on the wrong track ,which I will undertake to prove' to him if he will emerge from his ambush and come out in the open. "Bush" goes on to say that the fact of my being a shearer of 24 years' standing, stands as a proof of being well paid and well treated, or I would have quitted the game long ago. Well, if "Bush" had been through my tima as a shearer it would, no doubt, very materially alter his ideas, and I might here tell " Bush " that I have some, years quitted the occupation of a shearer for the simple reason that I am conclusively convinced that it do.>j not compare with ordinary, steady employment from a remunerative point of view. To take

"■Bush" ad verbatim re Lis comparison of shearing extending over nine months of the year instead of three, and says "this I drop quickly." Perhaps so, and I do not intend to deal with circumstances that do not exist in connection with this dispute, and seeing that the shearing does not extend longer than three .months, it is purely conjecture to make any reference to nine months, so it will be seen that, there is plenty of conjecture and no fact attached to "Bush's" contention. Again, "Bush" states that I said the shearers' do not wish ts iniposo a tax that the wool industry cannot afford to bear. Quite so, arid if the term tax is not suitable to "Bush" I will put it thus—that the shearers only ask for a fair share of the profits of their laboui. Re the Union collecting a tax, there is not much danger of collecting much tax from such as "Bush," who, I am pleased to say, are decidedly in the minority, which time will tell.. 4< Bush'" states that he will give me all the 'detail I require. In reply to . this ij wish to tell "Bush" that I have no desire to keep up a newspaper controversy, but if he will accept this as a challenge, and come out in the open, that I will be pleased to debate the whole question in tlie most friendly spirit, and apart from anything in the form of hostilities, and if "Bush" as he states, does not care to debate this question with Mr Abbott on the ground that he is a paid secretary, he will be meeting me on equal footing, as I am not a paid official.

ALEX. McLEOD 101 Pine Street, Masterton.