MEETING OF SETTLERS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3561, 14 July 1890, Page 2

MEETING OF SETTLERS.

Tho Situation with tho Farriora,

A mass meeting of settlers in this 1 district was held in the Club Hotel on ' Saturday afternoon last, todiscuss tk - charges made ly farriers in MastertK , On (ho motion ot Mr Lett, W James Stuckey, was voted to the chair, ' The Chairman read the notice con- | veiling the meeting, and briefly stated . its objects, Ho did not consider it devolved upon him' as chairman to say . much, as there were many present who were to a better position to spouk ohthe subject than he was. Ho hoped to see:both Bides of the question fairly discussed. They would hear what the farmers had to say and then the farriers would have an opportunity of replying, If the latter could give a satisfactory reason for having raised - the prices for showtime Had uo doubt but that the farmers would be satisfied, j but, if not, they would have to take V some action in their own interests, Mr James McGregor moved," That ■ tariff adopted by. the farriers of the Wairarapa is not warranted by oircum- : stances." They were all of the opinion tlinfc every man should receive a fair wage for a fair day's work, and nobody would "deny the forriers this/ The farriers, however, had overstepjiSfc the mark. Ho had.takeu the weightV of shoes at his shop and found that in No 5 hacks tbirty-two sets went to the . cwt; in medium, twenty-nine to the cwt; in heavy hacks, twenty j to . .twenty-two to the: owl,; and in medium draughts, 11 to the cwt. Taking the average of the three sets of hacks the shoes would cost about, Is 6d per set. Allowing an additional ls_6d for nails, labor, coals, etc., they found the cost, of the entire set to be 3s, With the past charge of Gs per set; farriora were making 100 per cent, which ho considered was a fair, profit, .Thecharges now made were, without doubt excesaivo. . Mr John Rayner seconded theresolution, and agreed with what Mr McGregor had already said, A case bad recently come under bis notice in which a- lad had procured a set of shoes for Is 9d with whioh to shoe his own horse, His (the speaker's) son, who shoes) his own horses, had pur- : chased shoes by the cwt,, at Is 7d per set, with nails. Ho qi|ite endorsed what Mr McGregor had said on the subject, Mr W. H, Bectham remarked tlfijt were two Bides to every question. He would like to hear the opinion ,of farriora who might be present, The motion had his support, but be thought at tho same' time if the matter was put tairly before tho farriers they .would withdraw from their present position, The motion was put and carried unarainousiy. -Mr: A. W. Cave moved, "That unless the farriers arrange before Wednesday, the 16th inst, to reduce their present charges, a committee be appointed to take immediate steps-to form, under "The Limited Liabilities Act," a blacksmiths' and wheel, j wrights' company in Maaterton," Mir T, Let t seconded, Mr Carman moved as an amendment, " That a committee be formed to wait on the farriers and ask them to lower their prices to tho old standard." Ho. thought tho farriers were , quite justified in forming » union to protect their own interests. In this time when every other trade had its union ho thought the farriers should ' not be de> barWd.' J of' the privilege. The only 4 fault; appeared to bo the rising # tho price of shoeing, He thought his ~ amendment would meet the views of tho settlers present; Mr_ Beetbam thought that if a ■ committee were formed it should use its own discretion as to how it dealt ; 1 with the farriers. The committee 1 8ho » ld have th o power to hear the farriers' sido of the question, and ; arrange a fair prico, without dictating as to a reduction to tho old standard. : He would second the amendment. _ MrT, E, Chamberlain considered : it was not necessary to wait on tho i farriers. They had plenty of time by 'ho date fixed to arrive at> a decision An exorbitant charge had been made 1 by the farriers, whioh farmtrs felt it a duty ,to rosist, Borne years ago when the price of steel and iL w <j r g much higher than at present, Wi ers contented themselves with p, 0 fi t8 made at shoeing at the present rW If the farriers , could , not deoide\J lower their charges by Wednesday) fa co-operative company should at oncf be formed. • (Applause), V Mr P. Cotter thought the farmers wore quite right in submitting their views to the farriers, Mr Hessey had no objection whatever to the farriers forming a union, but they had no right to charge extortionate prices. Mr Carman: Wo should endeavor to meet the farriers in an amicable spirit if possible. _ Mr Hessey : They did not meet us in that spirit. fir Rayner: No, they did not consult us when they rose their price, . .

Mr A. W. Cava contended that the farriers had placed them in their present position, and he did not think they should wait upon them now, Tha farriers shnald come to the promoters of the meeting and endeavour-to arrange terms, (Hear, hear). ■ Mr _J/.. Rpss, explained that tho Union was composed entirely of farriors, and did not include blacksmiths, He■ thought tho whole affairs had.,,; been arranged hastily. (Hoar, hoarC* The firstmeetingoffariiershad intend f ed doing what the sawmillers did Ho be|jevcd the farriir.ii. wero quite willing now tQ conie to at; arrange*, ment; thoy were filling, he thought, ." to wopt the old prices on condition they had a cash tariff, He held no authority from the Union,but thought they would give any resolutions which might be passed at this meeting fair conßideMtjoi). 9 An apology was hero read from Mr Ewington, ofEwinglon and Bons, for uou-attendance. .

Mr Ross said It was bis intention to givo notice of motion to the President of tho Union that a meotipg be called to revise prices,

• A settler: Do you think that ' meotlDg will be held before next Wednesday? Mr Ross; Icanqot say, Mr G. Heron thought it would bd wise 10 alter the ditto till Saturday, tho 10th lnst, This would givo the farriers a fair opportunity ofdiscussinfr 1 Matters among theqiselyoa, . . ?■ ■ M' 1 Guild did not think farmers ' wanted any more blacksmith's shops, Fhore were plenty. in the town at tho : present time, Tho ; best way to arrange affairs would be to endeavour ' to'meet-the' farriers; Thfy" should also give the farriers time to consider tho situation." amendment was thou put and loatou tliQ.voices, w- ■ Mr Cotter thought hat the motion should refer to. far iers only. He would, an a lendmeot that ' : 1

-4'liera mi, howevw, no secogdot' to ; this amendment, The motion was then put and carried, the dato being altered to Saturday, July l'Jtli, Mr Hesseymoved, "That a committee, with power to ndd to their number, consisting of Messrs T. E, Cliamlicrlaiu, J. McGregor, Cavo, Lutt, R, Campbell," Hes-iey, itayner Buiok, Brown, Guild, and Stnoknybo (■lected to carry out the last resolution and to report at it mooting proposed to be held on Saturday, the 19th insLat 3 p.m," Mr T. E. Chamberlain, seconded. The Chnirtunu said if the resolution was carried it would be necessary for the Committee to state a timo at which the farriera should couiniunicato their dacision if they found it necessary. Mr Guild moved as an smendrnent, " That the committee, if ftslectod, bo requested to receive a depututiou of tlm Farriers' Uuion if thoy had anything to communicate," Mr Lowes seeondod, Mrßoetlmro said that if the farriers wished to wait on the Committee tlioy could do so at their meeting, Tlio Chairman advised Mr Guild to put his amendment in the form of another resolution, The resolution was thou put aud carried unanimously, Mr Guild did not consider it necessary to put another resolution. Mr 11,I 1 , Brorni proposed " That this meeting stand adjourned to rcceivo the report of the Committco till fjatiirday, tho 19t'j inst,, at 3 p.tu," ■ Mr 11, Campbell seconded, Carried. A voto of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings,