FIRMS CLOSED DOWN.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14831, 24 November 1913, Page 8

FIRMS CLOSED DOWN.

LARGE NUMBER THROWN OUT OF ■ \ ■ WORK. On Saturday thefo,undries,and implement works of Messrs P. andD. Duncan and.of Messrs Booth,' Macdonald and Co., closed down, and over three hundred men have been, in consequence, thrown out of employment. P. ANDD. DUNCAN. The following notice was posted at P. and 'D. Duncan's foundry on Friday:— , . NOTICE. "The management regret that owing, to the directors, office staff, and some of the foremen being Bworn in as special constables, the works will be closed from 11.45 a.m. to-morrow until further notice. . BY ORDER. Christchurch, November 21st, 1913. Mr W. Keir, managing director of P. and D. Duncan, in explanation of this notice, told a representative of "The Press" on Saturday that a meeting of tho employees was held and they were asked if twenty-four of the.rank and file would volunteer as special constables, so that the directors, office staff and foremen who had been sworn in could remain on duty at the office and thus permit the works being kept going. The response to this request was not sufficient. c Mr Keir had no further information to convey. . In accordance with the notice the works closed down on Saturday. The I men left quietly, and there was no demonstration. About two hundred men I are affected. ! BOOTH, MACDONALD AND CO. j Mr Geo. T. Booth informed a representative of "The Press" that the Oarlyle Implement Works closed down on Saturday, and "between 120 and 130 men have been affected. Asked for the reason for this step, Mr Booth said that orders had stopped and there was no work for the men. Consequently, and very reluctantly, they had been compelled to close down temporarily. There is on hand a fairly large quantity of goods awaiting shipment, but which the firm has been unable to ship owing to the port being closed. ATLAS FOUNDRY! Mr George Scott stated to a reporter that the moulding shop at the Atlas Foundry had been closed down. are going to keep the range, fitting and boiler shops going as Jong as we can get the goods away." ' • Mr Scott added: "If carting is stopped it will undoubtedly mean that the works will be completely closed down." - HAYWARD'S PICKLE FACTORY. Messrs Hay ward Brothers' pickle factory closed down for an indefinite period on Saturday, 40 men and women being affected. This time of the is one of "the firm's busy seasons, antt is known as'the "selling season." Owing to "stocks being held up in Auckland and Wellington, the firm has found it impossible to go on. The employees, it is : stated, are not Rod Feds.