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FLAXMILLS CLOSING

♦ HIGH FREIGHTS AND LABOUR TROUBLES. By Telegraph-Special Correspondent. Palmerston North, March 5. At the end of this week all the flaxmills in the Manawatu are scheduled to close down, and at least 700 men will'be thrown out of employment. The position in which flaxmillers generally throughout the Dominion now find themselves on account of the phenomenally high wartime freight rates not being appreciably reduced is accentuated in the Manawatu by serious labour troubles. But for this additional 60urce of worry it is stated in some quarters that the mills might still be maintained after the end of tho week on a reduced output. Many of the men have beon earning ill a day iuid more, which fact was recently mado the subject of comment by Air. Justice Cliupman in the Supreme Court. They are apparently not satisfied with t"his -'lgh rate of remuneration, and the employers are, it would appear, determined not to be browbeaten into paying more. Some few weeks ago it became generally known that trouble liad arisen, between Temukanui flaxmill proprietors and their employees. The men asked for a- rise of Is. per ton in the price for cutting flax, bringing it up to 13s. Many of these men were earning >£6 to .£lO a week, and not having to work late hours to accomplish this. The mill owners refused to pay the increase, and tho mill had to be closed down. It had been previously announced that the mills in the district would close on February 28. Just before that date the Flaxmillers' Association decided to keep running, and there has been no cessation. Now, however, largely it, is understood on account of what they consider the unreasonable attitude of labour, the mills will be closed down at the end of this wqck indefinitely. The men have offered to have a committee set up, in which they would have three representatives and tho employers a like numocr, to go into the dispute, the decision of the committee to be accepted as binding on both parties, and in tlje event of their failing the matter to be referred to an independent arbitrator, whose decision would be final. So far, however, the employers have not replied to this. The closing of the flaxmills will throw a large number of men out of work, and although some of them will eventually find employment it will be at a considerably below that earned at tjie mills. The demand for fibre is reported to have slackened considerably of late owing to lack of shipping facilities, and the millers state that in self-protection they are closing down. They also point out that if the mills are kept under present conditions it will mean the absorption of a large „ 0 monev, mainly in wages, with the fla. held up in sheds and no revenue in si Jit. In anv case it would appear that the demand for increased wages was on at a most inopportune time. It i.as certainly brought matters to a head in the Manawatu.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19190306.2.29

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 138, 6 March 1919, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
506

FLAXMILLS CLOSING Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 138, 6 March 1919, Page 6

FLAXMILLS CLOSING Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 138, 6 March 1919, Page 6

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