Shearers & Some Sheds by John Arthur Barry

Further out the pastoralist has to take chances. The population is to a large extent nomadic. To the great stations of the Far West muster all sorts and conditions of the genus shearer and rouseabout, containing elements that, given opportunity of the slightest, become boisterous and unruly to a degree; in some instances even dangerous. So long as things go smoothly, plenty of sheep, no wet weather, no lost time, there is no friction. But, directly the men fancy they have a grievance, then they begin to "make things lively," and at such periods it takes a strong hand to keep then within bounds. Sailors are proverbially accredited with being the greatest growlers in existence. But they are not "in it" by comparison with the average western shearer. He begins to growl and complain directly, to use his own peculiar vocabulary, he "gets his kidneys lined," or, in other words, feels the comforting effects of sound feeding, after, perhaps, a long period of enforced abstinence. He growls at the sheep, their owner, the man over the board at his food, and the man who cooks it; at the machines, the engine that drives them, the shed itself, and all that it contains. There is no pleasing this type of shearer; the only thing satisfactory about him is that he works while he grumbles. And if he does his work well then his ill-conditioned manner may be endured. But, at times the greatest growler proves the most inefficient shearer, the one who ruins his fleeces, and flays the sheep entrusted to him. Nevertheless, it is quite on the cards that incompetent hand as he is, he still is a ringleader and a favourite among his fellows. Sack him, and the chances are that the whole crowd will, if not incontinently knocking off work, still of set purpose shear so disgracefully as necessitates their also being sent about their business. Or they will, after their petty fashion, strive to annoy and irritate their employer and his servants in every possible fashion that occurs to them. They will swear the sheep are wet, although there may have been no rain for months; dispute their tallies; sulk in their hut and pretend sickness; and do all in their power to delay the carrying on of the work. Of late years, however, and owing to the influence of the Australian Workers' Union, the Pastoralists' Union, and that of the new body known as the Machine Shearers' Union, matters have in most western sheds been greatly improved by the introduction of a more respectable class than the rowdy one which aforetime used to "boss the whole show" at shearing time.