THE BENMORE SHEARING TROUBLE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4848, 11 October 1894, Page 2

THE BENMORE SHEARING TROUBLE.

| Some time ago Mr Thomas Middleton, manager of the Benmore Station, | Waitaki, Avroto asking police protection, as ho lmd received warning of ■ anticipated trouble during the coming ; shearing season, . . . Constable Bradshaw, reporting oil tho letter, wrote:— " I beg to attach a letter received 1 from MrThomas Middleton, manager of the Benmore Station for Messrs Robert Campbell and Sons, with reference to anticipated disturbance ' during ensuing shearing season. As : the wet sheep dispute of last season lias been tho subject of so much newspaper correspondence throughout New Zealand and Australia, and has been mentioned more than onco this session in tho House of Representatives, it is probably not necessary for me to refer to tho cause of tho dispute beyond mentioning the fact that on account of men coming over purposely for tho Beumoro shearing from Australia at considerable expense, losing their wages and season's work, it has no doubt created a very bitter feeling, but at the same time I do not think the shearers hero would interfere in any way with tho shearing at Bonmoro if left to themselves, but the wanting received by Mr Middleton comes from Australia, and it is from Australia that a largo proportion of the shearors employed on tho Waitaki corao after they havo finished the Australian shearing in November. It is quite possible they may import a very different feeling 'into the district. Mr Middleton has made ar- ■-. ■ rangemonts with one Alexander M'Callum, an Oiimara in N.S.W. to bring over 16 remaining placed number, will be Middleton. M'Callum, when Oamaru, was not on good terms the members of the Workers' Union, H and the fact of his engaging these "'fe men is well known to shearers, and vi: I may say I was informed of the faot by a shearer before Mr Middleton told me that such was the case." i Along letter has been sent to Mr -.. Middleton in roply, in the course of ■ , which tho Commissioner of Police says:

" The Minister directs me to say that he does not question your right to obtain men from Australia or elsewhero, should you consider your« self justified in so doing, If, however, the consequences are to be such as you fear thoy may be precipitated owing to the introduction of men and the consequent disturbance of the peace and other serious evils, it might with force be urged that such " a course, unless in an extreme case, should be avoided. (Further, so fai as the Minister is aware, the men coming from Australia are entirely in ignorance of the fact that they will be subject to the law which lias been passed this session, and that in the case of a djßpute both employer and employe will be compelled by law to place their case beforp the Court of Arbitratipn, ment cpnsidprs fhe Cpißipulfgry 3 Aa'bitfation and Oonoiliatiou Art to be all powerful; hence, rplying upoii j "'- this,' 5t |g considered there is nccesflity for special police pro^il