FREEZING DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 57, 1 December 1926, Page 12

FREEZING DISPUTE

CONCILIATION MOVE CONFERENCE TO-DAY Representatives of the employers and the union concerned iu the freezing workers’ dispute are to meet to-day in conference. Mr. P. Halley (Conciliation Commissioner) will preside. NO MOVE IN AUCKLAND awaiting result of CONFERENCE Dominion Special. Auckland, November 30. The definite announcement made by the Westfield and Farmers’ Freezing Companies that a start would be made to-day on export killing was expected to give some real indication of whether the position in the south would be the same in Auckland. However, the companies have now decided to delay operations, pending the result of a conference to be held in Wellington to-morrow. With a possibility of a settlement being arrived at in Wellington, the companies controlling the freezing works at Southdown and Westfield will not be seriously affected by a delay of a couple of days, but should the parties fail to reach an agreement satisfactory to all, then a call will be made for free labour. Members of the Freezing Workers’ Union held their biggest meeting of the year last evening at the Trades Hall, there being an attendance of about 300. The present dispute was freely discussed, and members of the union decided to stand by their previous resolution not to turn to for export killing unless advised to do so by the Freezing Workers’ Federation. The position in Auckland is that, pending the result of to-morrow’s conference, no" move is being made by either side.

LOADING FROZEN MEAT FREE LABOUR AT PORT AHURIRI TO-DAY RY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. Napier, November 30. The loading of frozen meat on to lighters at Port Ahuriri will be commenced at 8 o’clock to-morrow morning by free labour. This will solve the problem with which the meat companies were confronted when it became evident that members of the Watersiders’ Union would not handle meat from works where slaughtering is being done with free labour. The Port Hobart completed loading wool yesterday, and then was ready to take refrigerated cargo. The first call for labour for this purpose was made yesterday afternoon without response from unionists. To-day two further calls were made, in the morning and afternoon, and in each case the watersiders did not put in an appearance.

No meat was railed from any of the works to-day, but some will come through early to-morrow morning.

NO RESPONSE TO WAITARA CALL By Telegram l . New Plymouth, November 30. At the Borthwick meat works at Waitara this morning a further call was made for mutton butchers, without response. The firm is determined to carry on, and further developments are expected in a day or two. UNIONISTS’ COMPROMISE At PATEA By Telsgraph.—Press association Hawera, November 30. When the season commenced at the Patea Freezing Works this morning no union slaughtermen accepted work on mutton for export, though a number of unionists accepted engagement in other branches. The killing commenced with fifteen non-union butchers, sufficient to cope with the present offering.