MEAT STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1665, 4 February 1913, Page 8

MEAT STRIKE.

FARMERS & THE COMPANIES. NO SERIOUS STRESS. CALL FOR FREE LABOU R. IN OTHER CENTRES. The frozen meat industry is still in n stato of suspended animation, and there are no signs of returning activity here in Wellington yet. It is improbable that tho companies will do anything in the way of looking for hands for a time at least, but if men are offering in sufficient number work will bo found for them.

There is no immediate hurry for the works to open. Farmers have any amount of feed to hold their stock for weeks yet, and if the feed is properly husbanded, they will have enough to carry every hoof over tho winter. In the meantime, the 6heep will be growing wool, and the lambs will be' worth more for freezing purposes as two-tooths next year. < Also the breeding flocks of next year will be very considerably strengthened by the saving of the ewo lambs for a season. Altogether the loss of the freezing season does not mean a | total loss of profits to farmers, and the high prices realised for this year's wool clip has placed them in a fairly sound financial position for the time ,

For the companies, the loss of the season, while a serious. matter, is not a calamity. Stock was at a very high price this year, and trading companies were working on a narrow I margin. There would not under, any circumstances, have been suoh generous profits as most of them realised last year, and a slump at Smithfield would very easily have absorbed all the profits anticipated. This does not mean that the' companies would not get running again if they could, but their case is not by; any means desperate, and so far as can be learned, ' tho heads of

the Wellington companies are not seriously perturbed by the turn of events. It is clear, that the unions have failed to put any heavy stress on tho companies by ceasing work in the middle of the season, and the preponderance of opinion in the farming community •' seems •' Vo be in support of the companies, and opposed to the granting of tho union's demands. Whatever-may happen now, it is at least certain that there will be no more agreements similar to that in force at Waingawa signed up by any of the firms or companies owning freezing works in New Zealand. Free Labour Aspect. > Some interest was aroused hero by the news received yesterday that some free labour had been obtained at one of the Gisborne works.' When spoken"to on tho subject of the resumption at these works, and the possibility, of resumption at others, Mr. 11. J. Keardon, secretary of the Slaughtermen's Federation, produced a letter from the union delegate in tho Kaiti works, advising him that in tho event of a';strike of, slaughtermen about twenty men could be obtained to work as butchers. The full complement of kill-: ers at'the works is 10.' ■ Mr. Eeardon was therefore, not at all surprised to ; learn that some seven men had been obtained, and ho said it did not affect the union's position. He recalled the case of the Auckland dispute of'• three years- ago, when free labour was tried .in the Southdown works.' After a few weeks.of. experience of unskilled workers, the company' had been only too glad to get their regular, men back again. Experts in the trade say. however, that a man can become .an efficient mutton butoher,'in a fortnight. That is to say,' ho can be trusted-to dress sheep fit for freezing, but he will dress them slowly. It' will tako- an ordinary, hand two or three months to acquiro sufficient, skill to; cut the shed tally, which is usually from 12 'to,'Ul carcasses per hour.. If the new hands stay on, and work for the remainder of this season, they should be "tally men" next season. It is, of course, possible, too, .that ; some members of the union may accept work,. especially. if it appears possible that they may not find work on the board the following season. ■ Slaughtermen are reported to be very loyal to their union, and unquestionably they are loyal, but their loyalty_ has not lately been put to any very serious test. The-fact is, that there are men in the union who want to go on< working, and for the very best of .reasons—that they need money. There are men of- this class in Wellington,. and no doubt there are others in other places. . • Mr. Hally's Aim to Conciliate,

Mr. P. Hally, Conciliation Commissioner, has ; declared'his intention of endeavouring to settle the dispute as between the local companies and the men. 'He is likely to find-the task—a eelf-im-posed one—quite impossible for some weeks at least. : Neither the companies nor the men are in any. humour at'prepent to'listen to talk of conciliation, and, 'it appears more than likely that this industrial dispute will not be settled ;as between the present parties, but that men. not necessarily all new men, will be found to do the .work.of those now on strike. Cost of the Strike to the Community. It is perhaps worth while to note what tho strike is costing the community now. The Wellington works have.been closed for twelve working . days. This, short stoppage means that fully .£150,000 worth of products whioh should have been prepared for export have not been prepared, and they will not be prepared, and they will probably not be exported this year.

CALL TO MAN THE BOARDS, ' :' IN CANTERBURY. , IMPOETAnFsTEP TAKEN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) ■■~■.-.- Christchurch,' February 3. The two Canterbury'freezing companies —the Canterbury Frozen Meat and Dairy Pioduco Company and the Christchurch Meat Company—have decided to call for applications "from expert slaughtermen and from learners to man the, killingboards at their works. ' t Tho object is, of course, to end the present condition of affairs brought about by the Slaughtermen's Union declining to accept any lessor wage than 30s. per hundred. .The. strike'has now been'in existence for nearly a week, and ■ there are not wanting indications that some of the steadier men in the ranks of the slaughtermen are anything'but satisfied .with" the Attitude taken up by the union, and will bo probably willing to resume work on tho substantially-increased Tate offered by the companies. The full text of notices issued by. the companies is as follows:— . '

"This'company is willing to receivo applications from expert slaughtermen and learners to commence w.ork on.a , date to bo hereafter .specified) Priority of employment will be given in order of application. Rate to bo 275. Gd. per 100. Learners will bo granted a minimum wage of 15d. per hour until capable of earning more than that by piece-work. Full terms and - . conditions of employment can be seen at tho works, or at this office" (i.e., the office of cither company). It is anticipated that tho publication "of this notice will have tho eifect of bringing matters to a head, and will possibly end the present deadlock. The terms and conditions of employment will be those decided upon at tho latest-held conference of- representatives of tho freezing companies. , Sir George Clifford, when seen by a reporter in respect to tho notices issued by tho two Canterbury companies, stated that tho .works of both companies would open with I'rco labour. Ho, however, desired tho fact emphasised that, as far as the Canterbury companies were concerned, there wns ho antagonism to the employment of union labour, and every opportunity would be offered (o the'men who went on to tho slaughtering-board to form a union registered under the Industrial Conciliation , and Arbitration Act. The. companies were n.it fighting unionism, but only thii particular phase ol tho trouble*

WANGANUI HOPEFUL. EE-OPEN WITH FREE LABOUR. ' (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Wanganui, February 3. _ Tho managing director of tho Wanganui Meat Freezing Company states that tho company has received n number of spontaneous offers of assistance. The directors held a meeting this morning and unanimously decided that immediate stops bo taken to engage labour for the works, giving preference to old employees. The company intends using its best endeavours to reopen tho works within the next few days, and tho managing director feels certain that he will bo successful in doing so. TOMOANA WORKS. PLENTY APPLY FOE "HOOKS." (By Telograph.—Proas Association.) Hastings, February 3. Tho position in regard to the slaughtermen's strike,-, in so far as: it concerns the local works, is unchanged. Messrs. Borthwick and Sons, of; Pakipaki, havo not received any applications ftr places on the killing board, and tho works are closed down in tho meantime. Applications for "hooks" at Tomoann, however, are coming in freely, and it is anticipated that the works will re-open on Wednesday morning with a full board. The rate of pay will be tho same'as that offered to,the men who went ont on strike, jriz., 275. 6d. per hundred. Should these aflSfipations be realised; slaughtering will be resumed on Wednesday, and the necessity of dispensing with the services of hands in other departments will thus be obviated. . Questioned by a reporter, one of the strikers said, that they had no intention of going back' on their demands, and would fight to the bitter end. ■Eeforring to tho; proposal of the companies to man the boards with free labour the speaker said tho freezing firms might be satisfied with their work, but he doubted whether the farmers would put up with it for very long. ' UNION MEETS. NEBULOUS ATTITUDE TO FREE "' .. LABOUR. : (By Telegraph.—PreEs Association.) , Christchurch, February 3. The Canterbury Slaughtermen's Union met to-night, but the meeting was not openito reporters.: At the conclusion.the secretary communicated the following remeeting was very largely attended, and representatives were. present from the. freezing works at Fairfield, Smithfield, and Pareora. It was resolved 'That the union make a firm stand for 30s. per hundred.'" It was further reported that the majority of tho men have got employment at .harvesting, navvying, and so on, awljt is their present intention to rcmaiiTat that class of work.

The reporter asked if any resolution was arrived at' with reference to the em-' ployment, by tho companies, of free, labour. s ~ : The secretary replied that there was nothing to report under that head. He was also asked if any arrangements had been made for picketing, and the secretary replied that the union did not work.in that.way, . . ■ •.'.'..', . AT. WAITARA. ..'.. (By'Tolegraph.-Press Association.).• ■"\ . Waitara, February 3.: A ■ conference- was. held to-day between the management of the Borthwick Works here and the butchers. The conference proved abortive, the latter turning down the offer made them by the firm. They state that they aro preparing a statement for the press... Meanwhile, they add, the old butchers are not going back. ;''.'. GISBORNE CAN GO, ON. Gisborne, February 3.The Gisborne Shcepfarmers', Frozen Meat Company started killing ■operations to-day with seven men.. They are expecting no'difficulty during tho day, and anticipate carrying on.