FARM LABORERS’ DISPUTE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2178, 30 April 1908, Page 2

FARM LABORERS’ DISPUTE

JNION DEMANDS PRACTICALLY POLITICAL. DEMANDS THOSE OF EXTREMISTS. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, April 29. In the course of his summing-up in he farm laborers’ dispute, Mr. Ac•aud, one of the farmers’ representa--ives, said that the object of the ! n ion demands were practically poli.'.oi 1. Mr. Thorn had alleged, in his ipening remarks, that the union re)resented the large body of intelligent ipiuion among farm laborers, but he ,Mr. Aclaml) would be very 'sorrv to hink that the class of meii brought >efore the Board by tho Union repreoiittHi tlie class of men be knew bo .'ell and for whom he had the great■st respect. The class of men met vith on stations consisted of some of no finest iellows in the world. In his ■yidence Mr. Thorn had said. “He !ul not think that thrift and industry nould settle the labor question. If ‘verybody was thrifty, there would >e many unemployed.” Apparently -ho leaders of tlio labor movements -vere going on the assumption that for i country to succeed it was necessary !or everyone to be unthrifty. The idoption of that, policy would' be very unfortunate for New Zealand. All he evidence showed that- the demands a ere simply those of a fevr extremists n Christchurch. The farmers said to uefi, Leave us alone, and attend to vour .own affairs in town. We don’t want, you in the country. If you ■ome out you will injure the whole -ouiitry, and you will gradually ruin t because you do not understand the •w 1a ol +l' f +i The evi , donco further •mmed that tho so-called “Anricnlural and Pastoral Laborers’ Union” hd not represent the agricultural and n-'lfp« ral [jurors. Ho questioned whether anv award could deal satisFctorily with the farmer who also took employment on tlie farms of others.