CLASSES FOR SHEARERS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10282, 10 July 1911, Page 5

CLASSES FOR SHEARERS.

MOVEMENT BY FARMERS. Mr H. A. Nevins, of Annedale, a member of the Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union, addressed the Masterton A. and P. Association on Saturday on the question of establishing classes for teaching machineshearing in the Masterton district. Mr Nevins stated that a sum of £6O had been voted by the Farmers' Union for the assistance of these classes. Of this sum £2O was allotted to Master-, ton. He would like to know if the Association would grant the use of its sheds on the Solway grounds for the purpose of the classes. In Palmerston North the matter had been taken up by the Technical School authorities, and he thought the same tiling might happen here. Any rates made to the Technical School carried a subsidy, and the students earned capitation. At Christchurch, shearing classes had been successfully conducted. There were plenty of sheep available. These { had been shorn, and the" wool sent to the Technical School for classing. Young fellows had learnt how • to handle the machines in a fortnight As soon as"they.got into the way of | holding the sheep, they could handle I the machines. The difficulty experienced was in keeping the machines in order. No opportunity was given young fellows at the present time to learn machine-shearing at the sheds. inearers at the present time', and'"there were plenty of young men who were willing to learn. It would be a great advantage if they could get local men to do the shearing, so they would keep the money in the district. At the present time a large number of men came from Australia, got their money, arc! left. Two malhines were in use in use in Palmerston North, and an engine had been supplied. Mr Nevins did not think the £2O voted by ib*. Farmers' Union would be anything like sufficient to start the classes He thought, however, that .the farmers might assist and the Technical School take the matter up. An instructor would be required .for a season, and he would cost at least £SO. Mr James McGregor: Did I understand you to say that the settlers cannot get learners taught in the sheds at the present time? Mr Nevins: That is largely the ca c e. Mr McGregor: For why ? • Mr Nevins explained that it was partly because many'stations were in charge of managers, who had instructions to work their sheds as economically as possible. Tbev only employed shearers who could put through a certain number of sheep jn a day. / Mr McGregor: Do you expect this Association to bear the cost of educating *yoims: men.- f-:o that tb.o cjnft!?can get the maximum profit at the minimum outlay? 'Mr Nevins said he did not a s k the Association to do more than find the ' sheds and ground. Of course, if they made a grant, so much the better.; Mr W. Perry thought there wa's a ' question as to the suitability of the sheds. v ■, i Mr Nevins said the present sheds would do. He would like some local assistance. He was too • far away to himself supervise the arrangements, i He thought that a local sub-committee might be appointed, and that they might deal with th^.mniter i" r>onjunction with thr Technical Sclio-V Managers. Mr W. Perry moved that the sheds and yards, and. a limited area of the grazing at the showgrounds be provided for the classes. \ Mr H. Morrison seconded. 1 Mr 0. C. Cooper thought the move- | ment" should be supported. He sug-J gested the appointment of a sub-com-mittee. Mr D. McGregor, junr., said he ,«aw a difficulty in the matter of providing sheep. So far as the small farmers were concerned, there was no dearth , of shearers. The station-holders, of course, were differently situated. After further discussion, the motion of Mr Perry was put and carried, and it was decided that a charge of £lO be made for the use of the grounds, which is to be refunded in the shape of a donation. A sub-committee consisting of Messrs J. E. Perry, E. Harper and H. J. Welch was set up to confer with . the Managers of the Technical School' on the subject. I