MEAT STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1684, 26 February 1913, Page 8

MEAT STRIKE.

THE GEAR CO'S OUTPUT GOOD. CURRENT RUMOUR. SOUTHERN MEN GOING BACK* A rumour that some of the southern slaughtermen on strike intend to go back to work ou tho terms and conditions which tho companies have offered to their freo labourers was the-most interesting item of striko news which obtained currency yesterday. It is stated that in some of tho south, orn works a few'unionists have gone back to work, and arc doin|{ a full "tally," and to tyiis it is added that a number of slaughtermen liavo notified their federa. tion that they intend to accept tho terms offered by tho companies. At tho Gear works yesterday tho "tally" for tho day totalled considerably over 2000 sheep. In spito of tho fact tliat twenty men left tho board 011 Saturday, yester. day's "tally" was within a few hundred of tho best "tally" recorded last week. Both companies stato that applications for work aro coming in freely,,and that they are satisfied with tho progress'mado 'by tho freo labourers. l'ho recent rain, it Is considered, will , gtrengthen tho .position of farmers. and the' companies by improving the pastures. 'l'ho: Victorian branch of the Australian. Meat Industry Employee's' tlriion jias. forwarded a cheque for >£2f)o. "towards as. sistanco in tho New Zealand dispute." Tho 1 letter accompanying tho cheque contained information about the position in ' Australia: It Toad as follows;—"I am in receipt of your cablegram asking for con. tributions towards assistance .in your dispute. This branch has at onco donated .£2OO, which I am enclosing in this letter. I have wired all the other States to at onco deal with tho request, and cxpect an answer at an early date. l'ou.have tho support of tho whole of tho fedora: , tion in your dispute as Queensland lw« already signed an agreement with tho em-ployers-in'the; export branch, providing lor tho .payment-of 28s) Od. per 100 for 'dressing down' and 2s. 3d. for 'sticking down,' which makes, 30s. 9d. per 100. Wo are 'also making a doniamd on all our ' employers for 30s. per 100 lor slaughtering, sheep and lambs, as; our, present agree, mont expires in a month or two." Tho letter 1 was, signed by C. Anderson, general secretary of the federation arid secretary of the'V'ictorinn branch.'