THE SHEARERS’ DISPUTE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3163, 8 March 1911, Page 2

THE SHEARERS’ DISPUTE.

EVIDENCE BEFORE ARBITRATION COURT. CASE TO BE -FURTHER HEARD. [PUB PRESS ASSOCIATION.J WELLINGTON, March .7. In the case of the Shearers’ Union v. the employers, an application was made for an award for siied hands only in the Wellington district. Mr -Laracy appeared for the Union, and Mr Pryor for the employers.

The Union did not submit any evidence, it being arranged that the evidence taken in Christchurch should also be evidence in this case. The Union asks for an all-round award of £2 per week for shed hands.

Fred. IT. Labatt (Christchurch), accountant, and secretary of the New Zealand (Sheep-owners’ Federation, was called by Mr Pryor, and produced returns from 130* sheds in the Wellington district. 111 these, SSB shed, hands were employed, and of these 275 were permanent and 313 non-permanent hands, the percentage being as 46.76 to 53.24. Of the 588 men 492 were “found” by the employers and 96 were not “found.” The average wages of pressers amounted to 7s Sd per day, and wages ranged fromos to 10s. In some cases pressers were paid by the day, the average being Is per hour. The average weekly wage of pressers was 30s 6cl. Fleece-pickers got an average of 6s lid per day, and fleece rollers 25s 4d t° 31s Id per week, while cooks got from 25s to 40s per week, and in one case 45s per week. The average rate of pay for cooks worked out at 41s 9d per week. In five of the 130 sheds the hands were paid Is per hour. There were 4608 odd sheepowners in the'Wellington district, and of these 4093 (or 88.52 percent. of the total) owned flocks of 2500 and under. In New Zealand there were 21,85 S owners of sheep and of these 19,999 owned flocks of 2500 and under, the latter percentage being 91 per cent, of the total owners.

To Mr La racy: He could not say how many shearers were employed m a shed where Is per hour was paid to pressers. He saw 14 sheds in Canterbury where pressers were paid by the day; 12 where pickers were paid by t'ie day; and 10 where rollers were paid by the clay. The returns showed a great diversity of system. In many cases the farmer did the work himself, assisted by his sons.

His Honour said the Union did not ask for an award for permanent hands, but only for casual employes. This concluded the Wellington evidence, and Mr Pryor intimated that he proposed to call further evidence at Napier and Wanganui. His Honour: So far the employers have made no proposal.. The problem is a very difficult cue owing to diversity of conditions. Mr Pryor said he had arranged for a meeting of the Association at Palmerston North on the 20th inst., when the whole matter ■ would he gone into. The case will be further heard at Napier. Palmerston North, and Y anginui.