MEAT-WORKS STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1367, 19 February 1912, Page 5

MEAT-WORKS STRIKE.

WATERSIDERS' ATTITUDE.

EDICT OF FEDERATION DISREGARDED.

VIOLENCE ON THE WHARF,

The meat works at Ngahnuranga anil I'etone are still closed, and (he men who should be employed at them are still on strike. So much is known with certainty, and there are but few other facts to bo told about the relations of the companies and the strikers.

Mr. I'. Hally, Conciliation Commissioner, ha.s boon in communication with both sides in tho dispute, with (he object of bringing about a conference. Tho employers at once stated what (hey wero prepared to discuss, and what they would not discuss. ' Then Mr. Hally saw (ho strike leaders, but he has since made no definite proposals (o the companies, there is therefore no immediate prospect of any conference being held. It is stated in some quarters that there are numbers of men now on strike who are tiring of enforced idleness, and that a very fair proportion of I horn arc not so willing to prolong the fight as their leaders are. This sort of thing has certainly been said, but not openlv, and it is impossible to verify or refute it.

What Will thi Watcrsiders Do? The attitude that will in the end be taken up by the wharf labourers is (he chief concern at present. On Saturday morning Mr. G. G. Farland, secretary of the Wharf Labourers' Union, informed a Dominion- reporter that the executive of the Federation of Labour had ordered the members of the union not to handle any produce from the Meat Export or Gear Works. This confirmed a report, which had been in circulation the previous day, as to the possibility of such a thing happening. But as things arc, it is by no means improbable that some members at least of the union will not obey the call. It is slated that they arc extremely unwilling to be dragged' into this dispute by the Federation of Labour, when the dispute does not directly concern thein. It is reported also that there are more or less serious dissensions in (he ranks of the union.,

Federation's Order Disobeyed. Events up (o date have certainly gone to support this statement. Until 'Saturday no call was made upon men working meat works products to refuse to handle Gear or Heat Export goods, and a good deal of meat was put on hoard (ho Drayton Grange. In fact, the companies have boon ahlo without any difficulty to fulfil nil their arrangements for this steamer. On Saturday, after the Federation of Labour had issued the edict that no more was to be handled, the Meat Export Company railed in tlio last of their meat for this steamer, and n gang of wharf labourers worked it, thereby refusing to obey (he instructions of (he federation.

Bad Words and a Blow. The work did not go on altogether without incident. Soon after the men commenced work, a man nppronched the gang then handling the Ngahauranga meat on the Glasgow Wharf. His demeanour was somewhat truculent, and lie would not go away when asked to do so. He niado a choice of one of the workers employed, called him "a scab" for handling meat from works where the hands were on strike, and also he used one other grossly insulting term. Then, without any warning, he struck a heavy blow at the man, and knocked him down. Things were likely to become very uncomfortable for tlio intruder just then, and he promptly decamped. It is understood that tho police have the matter in hand, and that proceedings for assault will probably be taken. Why the Work Was Done. The important fact about the affair is that in spite of tho use of the term "scab," the meat was all loaded on to the steamer, and there is good reason to suppose that next time there is more meat to be loaded, men will be found to do tho work. A man in close touch with cargo work on the wharves informed a Dominion reporter that he was certain that (here wero very many members of the union who did not wish to be drawn into this strike. Ho bcHovcd that 70 per cent of the men were of that opinion. They were perfectly satisfied with' their agreement, and they wero ready and willing to go on working under it.

It goes without saying that if members of the union refuse to work any particular class of cai'go .to assist some other strikers, a breach of the agreement recently made, with the shipowners will be committed. Then it will be open to the shipping companies to tear up the agreement and refuse to recognise tho terms of it. It is just possible that there may be interesting developments if the wharf labourers take heed of the Federation counsels.