MEAT STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1663, 1 February 1913, Page 3

MEAT STRIKE.

COMPANIES' CONFERENCE,

WAR DECLARED.

LAST OFFER RE-SUBMITTED.

Tho outcome'of the-conference of representatives of freezing oompanica regarding the slaughtermen's dispute yesterday was a final declaration of war-by tho companies against tho Slaughtermen's Union.

They re-submitted their former offer of 725. Gel. per hundred, but this time tho offer is made to anybody, and not only to members of the union. All the companies ivero represented, with the exception of Waingawa, which concluded an agroement At advanced rates some days ago, and Nelson, which is a email conofirn, not seriously interested in the trouble.

i COMPANIES' POSITION. STATEMENT BY SIR G. CLIFFORD. After the meeting, Sir George Clifford, who had presided at the conference, made the following statement to press representatives:— . " "The freezing companies, having given ■full consideration to the demands of the slaughtermen as put forward by the Wellington Executive, are unablo to 6ee any reason for; altering their 'previous determination.' By it, the considerable advanco of 2s. 6d. per 100 ym 3 offered to the slaughterman, with oertain minor concessions which chiefly affected • the South Island factories. The terms of employment then offered are adhered to, but aro now submitted for acceptanoe to anyone, whether am ember of the recently cancelled union or not, and on the basis that the conditions of the last awards are other- 1 wiso retained. In practice it means a weekly increment of not less than lis. 6d. Such a riso has never hitherto occurred in any other trade, nor would their recent proposals have emanated from the companies except that they desired at any reasonable sacrifice to safeguard the complicated interests of a national Industry. "Tho consequential cost of admitting the workere demands would result in a price which th 9 producers cannot be asked to pay even, for assured tranquillity, and still less for a temporary release- from ever-renewing exactions. The freezing companies have desired to arrange:—

1. A liberal Trap) for work dono., 2. Freedom to employ a sufficient num- . ber of learners to keep their'boards full in the future, .3. Such 'regulations as to hours and methods of work as are consistent with the proper: management of the ' factories. 4. of preference /clauses, which havo been proved by absenoe of past complications to Txi thoroughly acceptable to all parties. : s

"In making: the proposal now before the Glaughtermen, the oompanies have had in view the advantage of all sections of the trade,_ which constitutes : one organised machiho for marketing mwt suitably a, chief product-of tho soil of ; New Zealand. Each operation must bo -regarded as a separate act of such a machine, and unless the farmer, the freezing* factory,' the carrieis,- and the dealers, with all tho workmen in each of these departments, receive their proportionate profit, the. industry must suffer to tho universal .injury of all concerned, . As soon, however) as any one .fraotibn of this machine absorbs an undue .proportion' of tho profit, the machine will oeai'2'to work, owing to the ,burden thereby thrown upon shoulders unable to bear it. v,«Qn Jtos principle ,the / .,wmpanieß :aio. 'bound to defend tho prdditobrs' from' an inequitable expense,, the. workers from an inequitable adjustment of payments, and' themselves from an expenditure which would prohibit tho maintenance of .their institutions in a fitting .condiiioiv f6r their imiwrtant'. functions. i It has boon calculated that tho demands as formulated with their consequenocs would involve, an • annual outlay- of not less than .£IOO,OOO, tho bulk of which sum.would ultimately come out of >t.ho pockets of • farming community." ■ ....

"END OF THE'SECTION.'! , ' UNION'S POSITION, ■a'-What are-we going to do? Wa'va done ail wo proposud to do," said Mr. M. J. Reardon, , secretary of tho Slaughtermen's Federation, when approached by a Dominion reporter iast nignt. '.'Sio far. as 'l ean see, the position is this: The companies have certain work'they want done, at a certain, price. .- Our-men say, can have our services at . tho . price wo havo named.' On these terms no business seems to bo possible, and to far. as I can see that is tho end of the section." Do you. think any of your man,will accept tho companies,' offer? ho was asked- • , '' . "I don't think so," ho replied; "I 6hall bo very much surprised if they do.' They went into this tning very calmly and very deliberately. They havo had it before them since May of last year. They have taken a ballot on tho offer of the companies, and they have stood tip to their work under the fourteen days' notice of their intention to cease work. I don't know of. any'moro severe test that can bo imposed on any body of workers than that. WANGANUI. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) • Wanganui, January 31. Tho slaughtermen at the local meat freezing company, whoso agreement expired to-day, having finished the 6tock on hand, ceaSed work at -midday, and gathering up their belongings quietly left tho works. ■ Local slaughtermen havo agreed to kill all stock required for local consumption, i EVELINE WORKS. ■ (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Oamaru,' January 81. Tho fortnight's notice given by the Christchurch Meat Company's employees at the Eveline works expires to-night, and the works will bo closed to-morrow. It is understood they will not re-open until word has been received of a satisfactory settlement of differences. HAWKE'S BAY WORKS. (By TelegrapK.—Prosa AsMdattonJ Hast Inns, January 81. Tho notioe given by tho slaughtermen at tho Tomoana and Pakipaki Freezing Works of their intention to - cease work unless their demands were acceded to, expired to-day. About 8300 eheep were killed at tho Tomoana works, leaving the yards empty when tho men finished killing just on the stroke of 8 o'clock this afternoon. No demonstration of any kind was made, and, after gathering up their knives and sharpening stones, they walked off tho premises.

' Interviewed by a "Tribune" reporter, Mr. W. Nelson (managing director of Messrs. Nelson Bros., Ltd.) said that tho offer of 275. 6d. per 100 sheep was still open, but would not bo exceeded. There would bo no killing to-morrow, but ho expected to start slaughtering again either on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Anticipating tho stoppage of work to. day, tho management at Pakipaki did not restock the pens, and tho men finished off last night, giving a mild cheer as thejleft tho works. Notices aro still posted that tho boards aro open for any who like t6 tako engagement at 275. 6d. per 100 under tho samo conditions as are provided in tho award.