MEAT STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1671, 11 February 1913, Page 8

MEAT STRIKE.

WELLINGTON WORKS STARTING. COMPANIES' VIEW. "THE TROUBLE IS NOW BEHIND US." , ■ j THE OTHER CENTRES. Work is 'to procced to-day at tho establishments of both the local meat export companies. The Wellington Meat Export Company's works at Ngahauranga opened yesterday, and the Gear Company's works at Fetone aro to open to-day. 'Mr. W. G. Foster, director of the Meat Export Company, stated yesterday that a satisfactory start had been effected. Twenty slaughtermen were on tho board yesterday, and it was anticipated that doublo that number will bo at work 'today. There nro £0 hooks at tho Ngahauranga works, but Mr. Foster added that his company did not'wish to rush things straight away. "We want to bo quite sure," he remarked, "that every man we start will make, a tradesman good enough for us to stand by. Tlio men whom we have employed are men that wo feel sure of as future slaughtermen of the best class." . Tho work done yesterday, Mr. Foster stated, had been well done, both as regards slaughtering and dressing. Most of the new men had had sorno previous experience,-though they were not members of the old union, and it was only, a question of days when they would acquire the necessary speed.

Scores of applications had come in from men who,had never been slaughtermen, Mr. Foster mentioned, but very few learners had been started. Tho men at work wero a fine-looking lot of fellows, and. they had started out with a full intention of making good their claim to bo recognisedvas slaughtermen, of. a good type.

Asked whether any trouble wis anticipated from the workers in trades which' are allied to slaughtering, Mr. Foster returned an emphatic negative. He added that his companv had not rit any time anticipated trouble in this direction. He had received assurancea from inore than one of its freezing employees that they had no sympathy with tho strike, and that if they did attend the meeting called (and held last night) their votes would go in favour-of continuing work. As a matter of fact., Mr. Foster stated,'several men from tho' other branches had applied for places on the board. . If' any men from the old slaughtermen's union had come in it was only one or two, but they'were expected'to come in/ "I .wish to Express regret," said' Mr. Foster "that the men should have taken the course that they, -have, as many. of them (who have been with us season after season for many years : past have very considerably jeopardised their chances of a continuance .of work.' Personally, I hopo that better counsels will prevail with them, and that they will apply before :it is too late."

Tho slaughtermen now working for the Meat Export Company are to be paid the rate of 275. Gd. per hundred, which was offered by tho companies when the men lodged their demands.. In respect of learners, Mr.-Foster stated,' the company is paying, them, adequate wages until they become sufficiently- proficient to bo able to rely on tho day's "tally," As soon as they oan make more at the piece-work rate they will-bo free to do so.

"Tho companies," said Mr. Foster, "will play the game absolutely, and adhere strictly to what they have said. I look upon the troublo as very largely bchipd us now. At the works to-day, lip replied to anotber,question,'"everything was very quiet." I think that if tho slaughtermen, are beaten they, will, > take their', beating liko men find refrain 1 from doing anything nasty." ' , ' ', ! i Mr. Foster referred in.', appreciative terms to the attitude which the farmers had adopted during thostrike. Notwithstanding that the farmers had been losing money day by day, the companies had not in a single case been subjected to inconvenient '.pressure or requests. Tho farmers had recognised, Mr. Foster added, that tho demands which the companies had resisted as excessive would ultimately have affected tho', farmers' pockets. . Tlio companies had'fought largely for themselves and to retain control of the industry,'-but in the end additional expenses would have to be borne by the farmers.

Tho Gear Meat Company will open its works to-day. Applications which have been received are altogether beyond cx•pectations, and in the meantime the company has got as many men as it wants. No trouble is anticipated from the freezers and other employees who work in conjunction with tho slaugliter'men. '

A meeting of tho Freezers' 1 . Union, which is the largest union of workers in trades allied to slaughtering, was held at Potono last night. It was agreed that tho decision irrived at by tho meeting should not be mado public. Mr. M. J. Reardon, secretary of tho Slaughtermen's Federation, returned to Wellington from Hawke's Bay last night.. Questioned by a reporter, ho stated that ho had nothing to say about.tho strike. TEN PER CENT..RISE IN WAGES. " TO FREEZERS' UNION. <"" r: Hastings, February 10.' Tho butchers manning the board at Tomoana put through 1000 sheep on Friday, and 450 on tho half-day on Saturday. Thirteen butchers are slaughtering at Pakipaki, and.applications for.hooks continue to come in freely. The firms speak in high terms of the work of tho new butchers. . Every day sees a. marked improvement. v In appreciation of the stand taken Up by the Hawke's Bay. Freezing WorkS' Industrial Union of Workers in connection with the strike, Messrs. Nelson' Bros., Limited (Tomoana), Thos. Borthwick and Sons, Ltd. (Pakipaki), and tho North British Freezing Company (Napier) have decided to adopt the rates of pay provided for in the award now operating at Gisbome. Thi9 decision, which was conveyed to the secretary of the Hawke's T3ay Union by Mr. W. Nelson (managing director for Nelson Bros.) amounts to an increase in wages of 10 per cent, to all members of the union, and wijl affect about two hundred employees at Totnuana and 150 between tho Pakipaki .works and the works at The Port. The now rate of pay will come into force as from Mon- • day next, but other provisions of tho present award are to bo adhered to till the agreement expires in 1911.

CANTERBURY WORKS. (By ToleeraDh.—l'ross Association.) Christchiirch, February 10. Rumours that were flying about to tha effect that the freezing works at Belfast aiid : Islington would open to-day or tomorrow appear to have no foundation in fact, nnd a reporter who went out this morning to see if there was any truth in the statements was told that tho freezing works' officials had received no intimation in regard to this matter from headquarters, and, so far as they knew, there was small prospect of killing commencing for some' time yet. . There is little doubt that, up to the present, the supply of labour coming forward is small —at any rate it is not sufficient to, warrant the opening of tho works for tho reception of stock, but the probability is that,- directly tho supply is sufficient, work will be started even if tho output is small at tho beginning. BOARD OF FORTY-ONE MEN. Gisborne, February 10. At the Kaiti Freezing Works to-day there was n. board of 41 slaughtermen, and five more will commence work today. The Taruheru Works started today with H men. Tho Freezers' Union to-night dccided to adhere to their former decision not to strike. Most of the unmarried slaughtermen are leaving or have left tho district. WANGANUI. Wanganui, February 10. Twenty-three slaughtermen manned tho bonrdt at Castlecllo to-day, and four wore will jola to-morrow.