MEAT WORK & WEGES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1650, 17 January 1913, Page 5

MEAT WORK & WEGES.

• '■.;■■'■: THEJMPASSE, '';.-."■. TO-DAY. ' :;v ;'PETOne; feeling. , i SHOP-KEEPERS CONCERNED. '; A conference of represfehtativea of frozen ;meat'companies throughout New Zealand' ■■' ia to .be hold in Wellington to-day.. Tho : meeting tas been convened by' Sir Geofge -• Clifford, of. Xhriatchurch, who is interested in tho industry.:: The meeting will, of : course, discuss' the dispute with the slaughtermen;; ,;■; .'■;''; :■ ,It"ia-ptacticaliy.certain that the Wellingtonworks will close on Monday, .already arranged, and'it is unlikely that ; Wellington: companies will, bo in\.fluenced to nWke any ,offer-to ithe.men different from; that. which, they have al-. ready made. ; ■ ~'■ .-"''•>-". .■.''.'■■':'.'■'-'•■' prospect of having tho meat works }' closed, down ■is a rather gloomy one for '; Petone, and' business people, in the town -nro , .They apparently: hold the that the.'meat'w&rks inen are well paid, and they spend their money, t freely.. .The workshops' employ; ees/mostly'reside, in "Wellington, and a great 'many: of. those' who ..live, at Petone ; do their business with Wellington steres. It is,' understood alsp'''that: the trouble : Is- .making the''wholesale imerchantsyiin Wellington rather •■ guarded; and that they;have; suggested to Petone shopkeep■'.'era'''.;that theyrougbt ; to. do hlittlej or, no v itrading on'credit., '■-A'well-known'store-. keeper at Petone informed ;'a> reporter yes- / terday that, no agreement had; been' come iolomongst' the'retailers about' stepping bredit: tomcat works' 1 hands. . For ;his part,-he 'would, 1 bo willing to. "stick' to those/who have stuck to him," but he admitted that, 1 -ho- would : not'. think/ of jbpening fresh '-.".■,'■■V ■ . j;. ..'As,has been/already,suggested; there are ;two;'distinct opinions amongst the butchers and the others employed ■■]at the. ■works. : The niost': active. participants in the'troublo are the single men, many of whom are Australians, and birds of uas-' :Bag6;-",". 'They/ apparently .want a strike. •They ;do'not; constitute, a majority of the; butchers, / but''.somehow,',-or other :; -thoy have been able to. seriously affect tho ■judgment of .the' others. ■' .■'■: ..:On ; ; the; .other. handj .there,! bus'.-.the married.'men, who .have their, homes in Petone.- 'i,Generally -speaking, it ,is ibe-. lieved that they 'do, not want ( aystrike. They ,want the carry them over j the lean ..months of'winter. /There is no hope; .however, of-these men assisting the, companies .'to keep the works ruhning., : If. they did, they might: be, called "scabs,-and ,the:name is so:distasteful!that they will run no. risks'for a 'time,' -at .least./ 'Of: bourse, ;the : single": theft; will go, away ■' to' And/work elsewhere.' •■}.;-M r .}- :,'.'.. ■:.'

>:•' <"Thi "Yolceof'Labour," a labour news(>aper published at Auokland. says in.its atest issuo!—"Plans for the launching of ;•. -a; big general strike, .embracing seamen, ; Waterside iworkers, drivers, and miners, 7} tsybeing projected by the Ued Feds' at s , they present,'-time, land.,; systematic aty '■■ tempte ,to,-agitate;,.tho,..workers.'in these ,: industries are to be madeduring the'comy . ing /.month. ~,There is '.. a,; certain,. section' ; .of :.■ the •: small - section', '.but .a ;.■■• now- s«ction-w.lio4aTe: just spoiling for a. strike, .and any;twopenny affair 'that .-'■■■ can. be; seized on as aipretext to foment a general 'down pools',wul.be at onco avail.; . s'led Of.?.' -:.--'- , ''•'•■•' '.'.■•:■■ ■•. ;■.;-.■

f V :t;t(By'f - ; ■:: ■ ■■i-0' ■:.'■,- %;■ ' ■■: Gisbbrhe,'January 16/ '■■ ...Theawardihavingyexpired to-day, and (wine'uhablo to ascertain anything defin-. •Ito from the slaughtermen,'the directors •ofr.the ,Tokomaru' : Bayo. Freezing 'Works 'Closed' down, thoir works'to-day.' ■•■..■■■. , :•■