WORK AND WAGES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2017, 28 February 1907, Page 2

WORK AND WAGES.

THE SLAUGHTERMEN’S STRIKE. There was no mntorial change yes- j torday in tho situation locally, ox- j cep ting that the men at Nelson Bros’ • works had a more “tired” feeling ' than on tho previous day,' a lamb an . hour being tho rate of progress maintained—that is about half tho sjioed of tho previous day. Tho hope was general that tho employers would put 1 an end to tho monotonous proceedings, but tho employers continued to “sit tight,” and ns olio man put it, “the day was got through somehow.” The humor of tho situation has entirely dopartod, and some of tho men declare that they will be the bettor pleased tho sooner tho affair is terminated one way or another. As some of these men are exceptionally fast at tho work, the funereal style of proceedings is not at all to their tasto “If I could only have a couple of hours’ real hard going,” said one man. “my feelings would he relieved, and J. could enjoy tho rest which is now too much like a dreary ‘loaf.’ ” Anyhow, reports say that to-day’s programme will mean a more marked diminution in speed than on tho previous day, and that soon, instead of so many lambs per hour, it will he a question of how many hours per lamb.

In regard to tlie Gisborne works, tlie following letter was received by tho Company yesterday, and was considered at tlie meeting of directors in the afternoon:—“Dear Sir, —The viows expressed by Mr. DeLautour at t-lio meeting on the 2Gtli inst. wore explained to tlie slaughtermen at a mooting last night, and I am instructed to say that they are determined to adhere to tho stand which they are at present taking, viz., t'o make tiioir claim without 1 the Union being brought into tho matter.—Yours faithfully, Thomas Jackson.” Tho letter was fully considered at tlie meeting, and the following reply sont: —“Mr. Thomas Jackson, Gisborne. Dear Sir, —Your letter of today’s date was at once laid boforo tlie management. Tlie Company’s reply was indicated to you and others by the Chairman this afternoon, and is now written for your consideration. The factory will re-open on Monday next. Any men previously on tho board can send in their names before 12 o’clock on Saturday. After Saturday at 12 o’clock no man who was on the Board on Monday last will bo permitted to re-join, but the case of any local resident married man who subsequently applies will he dealt with on its merits. Ratos of pay: Award rates, to be modified retrospectively in accordance with any subsequent award of tlie Arbitration Court.—Yours faithfully, for tho Gisborno Slioepfariners’ Frozen Meat Co. Ltd. (Signed) AY. F. Cedorwall, manager.” Tho Company invito all slicopfarmers who aro conveniently accessible, boing Shareholders in this Company, jiany’s office on Saturday, at 2.30 p.m. The Company also advertise that all persons, whether skilled slaughtermen or not, prepared to accept employment as butchers for tho Gisborne Shoepfarmers’ Frozen Meat Company, Limited, aro requested to communicate with tlie Manager, at the ■ Company’s Offices, when rates of pay and conditions can be obtained.’

Press Association. BLENHEIM, yesterday.. The slaughtermen at tlie Christchurch Meat freezing works, Picton, struck this morning, demanding 25s per hundred. Five hundred lambs are awaiting slaughter in the pens. TIMARU, yesterday. Tlie Arbitration Court delivered judgment this morning in the case against the slaughtermen’s assistants at Pareora freezing works. The Court held that defendants liad been guilty of taking part in a strike, and fined each of them £5 each. The Court further announced that the decision in tlie cases against tho AA'ellington slaughtermen would be delivered tomorrow in AA’ellington. In the course of liis judgment, Mr. Justice Sim said tlie evidence proved that defendants were working under an award made by the Court on Juno 20, 1905, which embodied an agreement arrived at by the parties themselves after tho dispute had been referred to the Court. Counsel for defendants had not suggested that liis clients had not been guilty of taking part in a strike. The Court agreed with Mr. Raymond’s argument. to the extent tliat if all the parties to a dispute come to an agreement which they embody in an industrial agreement completed and filed in accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Court, apart from section 14 of tho amending Act, 1905, would not have power to make an award, hut that was not the present case. Here the parties agreed to certain terms, which were to be embodied in an award of tlie Court, and until this award was made there liad been no effectual settlement of the dispute. In making the award as it did, the Court was exercising its jurisdicton for “the settlement and determination” of an industrial dispute. Tlie Act liad made striking punishable as an offence in all cases where an award or industrial agreement is in force, and defendants were therefore guilty of taking part in a strike. Mr. AA’hite asked that the fines bo made payable to tlie King, but Mr. Raymond objected, contending tho Court must make the fines payable to some party to the proceedings, such as the inspector. The fines were only recoverable as civil debts. Mr. AA'hite said if made payable to the King they could be recovered under tho Crown Statutes Act, ISBI. His Honor said, tho Court was not satisfied that there was power to make the fines payable to the King, and they would be made payable to tlie inspector. GORE, yesterday.. The men at tho Mntaura works did not commence work at 8 o’clock this morning, apparently feeling loyalty to other centres. After communicating with the head office at Invercargill they agreed to start and did so at 0 o’clock. The company agreed to give whatever was specified in the next award from this date. The men had demanded 25s a hundred, and till AVednesday night to reply. Mr. McQueen, managing director of tlie company, informed an Ensign reporter that the company did not consider the stoppage at laataura a strike. They hoped to see the men take the same reasonable course as Mntaura. He could see nothing to be gained by following any other. A conference of employees of AVallacetown and Ocean Beach is being held in Invercargill to-day, which lie trusted woidd lead to a settlement. INVERCARGILL, yesterday.

The Ocean Beach and Wallacetown men who have struck hold a conference at Invercargill to-day. JTlie Mata lira men who demanded 25s a hundred continue work,having agreed to accept retrospective payment'according to the new award. The season which commenced on January 12 has been the busiest experienced in Southland, overtime being worked almost from the start. Wallacetown has been killing 1500 per da-’. Mataura 1200 to 1400, and Ocean Beach over 100. Clients ard"Willing to keep stock back, as feed is fairly plentiful. The number of men idle at Wallacctown is 45, at Ocean Beach 30, in addition to several chamber hands at tiio Bluff freezing works, which are run in conjunction with the Wallacetown slaughtering works. DUNEDIN, yesterday. The slaughtermen employed at Burnside wont out in a body this morning. These men are not working under any award. The Burnside hands held a meeting on Monday, when they .decided to form an Otago and Southland Union. It was agreed to ask for 25s a hundred. When this demand was made first thing this morning, Mr Wilson, working manager, said ho was unable to give the men anything satisfactory to go on,. so they left the works without starting. One man was deputed to remain behind to see if any satisfactory arrangement could be arrived at. One of the butchers who left Burnside this morning said to a Star reporter : The public run away with the idea that the butchers earn big wages all the year round, but I can confidently say there is not a butcher in the whole of Australasia who earns nine shillings a day, and he has to start at any hour and knock off at any hour. Then he has to contend with such things as cuts and poisoning. I have been in the trade 12 years, and don’t- know a man who has yet gone through a season without being laid up. Another complaint was the extra work being puton year after year. As the result of this it now takes a man a minute to a minute and a half longer to dress a sheep than it did formerly. It is impossible to get a living solely by butchering in Australia or New Zealand, and the necessary travelling between the other side and here takes money. The bonus rates were one shilling at Christchurch, and only sixpence at Burnside. .- CHB.ISTCHURCH, yesterday. The position in regard to the strike to-day is that though the men arc still out, a settlement is in view. The men are out in all the Canterbury works, and the strike has been strictly maintained. The only important event is the appearance of the

Slnuglitormon’s Union. For tlic first time since the trouble arose it now takes part in the trouble. Mr Bryce, vice-president, Mr Munro, secretary, and Mr I’liillips, treasurer, waited upon Mr Weymouth, and had an interview with him. The object was to explain the reason why the union had not replied to the letters sent to it by Messrs Wuymouth and Murray on behalf of the companies. The deputation had other objects, and went as mediator in the dispute, unofficially placing suggestions before Mr Wuymouth. These were briefly discussed, and the deputation informed a reporter that they .hoped a settlement would be come to in a few days. Mr Bryce said it was not possible to reply to the companies’ letters on account of a dispute between Mr Bird, the Union president, and some of the members. Mr Bird sending in his resignation, which was accepted, crippled the Executive, which was left without a quorum. The remaining officers decided it was useless to call a meeting at the time, as nearly every member of the Union ' was acting on his own responsibility, and the Union was quite disorganised. A special meeting of the Union was necessary to elect a new president, and three days’ notice was necessary. No stops , wore therefore taken to fill the vacancy, and the Executive considered itself power--1 less to act. The deputation explained tho position to Mr Waymouth, who was satisfied with the explanation. Mr Bryce said iio intended to call a meeting to fill the vacancy, so that the Executive would be able to receive the companies’ terms olfered ; and submitted to them as men arid private persons. ’The Executive was anxious to do their best to bring about an understanding. He knew tlio companies were willing to deal with properly-authorised reprosenta- : tives of the Union, and offer terms that would he suitable. They had decided to give the men a week to consider the position. The Union had not sanctioned tho strike. The subject was not even discussed. Tho members of tlio Executive had done tlioir best to avert the strike. The companies terms would he submitted to a meeting to he called at once, but with the notice required, and Mr Bryce was sanguine they would he accepted, with some modification, which the companies were likely to agree to. DUNEDIN, yesterday. I Mr AVilson, working manager at Burnside, says good butchers there I have been earning from lbs to 20s a day, and their average working day I was rarely more than eight hours. If * anyone had cause to complain, it was the employers. Latterly work has been more or less slovenly, tlic men rushing through to make big money. There is no doubt, he added, their reason for going out is that they are frightened of being boycotted by others, for they had everything to gain and nothing to lose by standing to their work.

THE STRIKE AT BURNSIDE. DUNEDIN, last night. The butchers employed at the Burnside freezing works went out this morning. Apparently the news that the men employed at the Southland works had struck finally decided them. They held meetings . this morning, when two of them wore deputed to tell Mr Jno. AVilson, working manager, that they wanted 2os per hundred, as is being demanded elsewhere. This was neither in the power nor the will of the manager to grant, and 19 men struck. Some of them went home, and some into town, and there was no disturbance. Air AVilson and Mr Barber (agent for the Christchurch Meat Company) were both seen this morning. ‘&We were in a measure prepared for it,” said the former. “For the past fortnight, although tho men have expressed no dissatisfaction, everything has not been too sweet. If this had happened last week we would have been left with 5000 sheep ori our hands. As it is because of our suspicion, there are only 250. Tho men were told that whatever was given for rough “potters” (rams, etc.), up North would be given at Burnside, although the same rate lias never applied before; also they got an extra shilling some time ago, and knew that they were to get a bonus or a retaining fee of Is. I consider that good butchers at Burnside have been earning from 15s to 20s per day, and their average working day is rarely more than eight hours. If anyone had cause for complaint it is the employers. Latterly the work has been more or less slovenly done, the men rushing through to make big money' There is no doubt that their reason for going out is that they had overythng to gain and nothing to lose by standing to their work.” Air Barber considered that the delays of the Arbitration Court were largely to blame. He had something to say about travelling butchers too. “It has always been the men going about from place to place wlio cause trouble,” he said. He also stated that the only reason he had officially received from the men as to their refusal to work was that the slaughtermen throughout New Zealand had gone out on strike, and they considered they would be regarded as blacklegs were they to continue working. Three of the men called at the Star office this morning, and stated they held a meeting on Monday, when it was decided to form an Otago and Southland Union, with Air H. McNamara as president and Air J. Baird as secretary. It was agreed at the meeting to ask for 25s per hundred, and the first thing this morning this decision was convoyed to Mr John AVilson,, working manager, and as he could not give them anything satisfactory to go on they left the works without starting. One of their number was deputed to remain behind to seo if any satisfactory arrangement could be arrived at. He will report to a meeting to-night. “The public run away wtli tho idea,” said one of tho men. “that wo butchers earn big wages all the year round, but I can confidently say ' that there is not a butcher in the whole of Australasia who earns 9s a day, and he lias to start at any hour and knock off at any hour. Then he has to contend with such things as cuts and poisoning. I don’t know of any man in fact—and I have been -at the trade for 12 years—who has yet gone through a season without being laid up.” “Another matter which we would like mentioned,” said another, “is that extra work is being put on us year after year. As a result of this it now takes a man a minute to. a minute and a half longer to dress a sheep than it did formerly. A r ou can’t get a living solely by the butchering in Australia or Now Zealand, and you therefore have to travel between the other side and here, and that all takes money. It has been said that tlio bonus was increased at the Christchurch works, and a like alteration was made here. Now that is not so. The bonus rates have not been equal at Burnside. AVe only get Gd, whereas at Christchurch they get Is. There is another thing—Australians have been blanjed for the trouble that has arisen. This is not so. The work cannot be done in Australia without tho men going there from New Zealand, and the same applies to work in New Zealand. It could not bo done if Australians did not come here.” “Two men interviewed at Bumside agreed that from 80 to 90 sheep a day is a good average for a butcher and that the average earnings of a man at Burnside during the season from January to June is 10s a day. “There are accidents such as blood poisoning to be considered,” said tlio second man, “and the stuff that comes through here is heavy stuff, and there are .not many lambs.” Some departments of the works are being carried on, hut everything directly connected with butchering is at a standstill, and tile assistants of the butchers had to ho sent home. There were no freezing buyers at tlio sales to-day. The men at the abattoirs have made no sign of dissatisfaction.

AFFAIRS AT ISLINGTON. CHRISTCHURCH, last night. No outside labor has been taken on so far at the Islington freezing works, and there are no indications of an early return to tho ordinary course of affairs. Four of the slaughtermen assistants turned to, about 8 o’clock at killing potters. They had about as many of their mates to wait upon them, and as many more to look on. Tho rest of the assistants stayed away. It is understood that some of the assistants who live at Islington were subject to a little peaceful picketing outside the works in regard to the killing of the potters, which were known to bo waiting for the night. A few of the slaughtering assistants are leaving the district to got work elsewhere. If the strike continues there will be a gradual stoppage of work in almost all departments, and the freezing hands have already finished. Unless any carcases should require to be loaded for shipment the skin department will be idle after to-day. The wool hands have a week or ton days’ work before them, and the manure section will be idle before the end of tho week. The pelts will all be dealt with in about a fortnight, and the preservers may safely Jook forward to another month’s employment. Tho bacon and pork depurtmeut is entirely separate

fiom the mutton butchering, and is nob affected by tho strike. Outside tho works everything was very quiet to-day, the strikers not being much in evidence. About 300 potters were killed to-day, and more than 100 remain. There is a probability, liowovor, that tho slaughtermen’s assistants will refuse to continue tho killing at noon to-morrow. It was intended that the butchers’ assistants at Belfast should ho set to work this morning, killing a large line of potters. At 7 a.m., however, there was no appearance of the men. Various causes have conspired to bring about tlio assistants’ refusal to tackle slaughtering this morning. In some eases sympathy with the butchers was tho inspiring motive; in others again disinclination for the particular task is suggested. It would appear almost as though an understanding between the butchers and the assistants on tho matter had previously been established, us this morning several of tho slaughtermen who were seen expressed not tho slightest surprise on learning that the assistants wore not at their posts.

ACTION AGAINST STRIKERS. CHRISTCHURCH, last night. It is not expected that any further development in connection with the strike will take place until after the Labor Department intend to institute proceedings against the men implicated in the slaughtermen’s strike at Islington and Belfast, and tho Arbitration Court will sit on Monday to hear the cases. There will be a meeting of the Slaughtermen’s Union three days hence.

LATEST FROAI SOUTHLAND. INVERCARGILL, last night. Tho position of affairs in Southland in regard to tlio strike lias not materially altered since yesterday. The Mataura hands killed all the sheep ready yesterday, hut stopped work soon after starting this morning, and hold a meeting. On a vote it was decided to cut out all sheep ill the pens, and then go out in sympathy with the general movement. They finished the sheep at 3 o’clock, and are now definitely out on strike. The Company had offered to give tho men the price agreed upon by the Northern Companies with retrospective stipulation. The men have no particular grievance, but are striking out of sympathy. About 10,000 potters at Ocean Beach will lie slaughtered by casual hands, after which it is probable that no work will be done. Consignments of stock to the works have been stopped, and jireparations have been made for the accommodation of the sheep on hand. Butchers from Ocean Beach and AVallacetown met in Invercargill to-day, and made arrangements for a conference with employers. The proceedings were held in camera. A conference between employers and three representatives of the strikers was held yesterday, but was also kept dark. It is understood that the employers submitted counter proposals, and that these have been referred back to the men. At least one more conference will be necessary before a final setheld to-morrow, when it is anticipated the men will answer the terms submitted by the Companies.

TAVO MEN STRIKE IN HAAVKE’S BAY. NAPIER, last night. Two of the slaughtermen of the North British and Hawke’s Bay Freezing Co. have gone out to-day, but so far none of the others have done so. It is understood that the demands of the two men were practically the same as those in other places.

THE AUCKLAND UNION. - AUCKLAND, last night. A meeting of the officers of the newly-formed Auckland Slaughtermen’s Union was held last night, for the purpose of considering matters in connection with their calling. A log providing for increases in the killing rates, and the re-adjustment of the hours of labor, etc., was arranged for presentation to the employers. Subject to the log being approved at a general meeting of the members of the Union, which will be held on Saturday evening, details of the demand are not available for publication at present. Members of the Auckland Union have expressed a desire to retain the services of Mr. F R. Bust, who organised the Auckland Union, as permanent Secretary of tlio Auckland Union. Mr. Bust, however, has not replied to the request so far. Mr. Bust desires it to be stated that the Auckland slaughtermen have never worked under an award, as has been stated, and that hitherto they have had no Union of their own.

MATAURA STRIKERS. GORE, last night.

The butchers at the Mataura freezing works (16 in number) struck this afternoon after killing 600 sheep that were in the pens. This action, the men readily enough admit, is not through any complaints against tlio employers, but out of loyalty to Northern strikers. It is stated on fairly reliable authority that an intimation reached the Mataura butchers from the North that if they did not go out they would bo boycotted by Northern Unionists. This has coerced them into taking a step they would in all probability not otherwise have taken. To-night 15 of the 16 butchers met and discussed the position. It is understood that the men resolved to remain out. They frankly admitted in discussion the fairness of the Company towards them, but expressed a fear that refusal tt> join ill the general movement would cause them to be posted throughout the colonies as blacklegs, thus preventing them gaining employment elsewhere. It was definitely decided, therefore, to remain out. A consignment of 200 sheep arrived at the works by train this afternoon, and the men decided not to kill these. The strike is confined entirely to the killing of sheep. Beef will be killed as usual. There are 40 head of cattle ill the pens at present, and these will be killed tomorrow.

ACTING-PREMIER’S REPLY TO MR. DeLAUTOUR.

WELLINGTON, last night. The Acting-Premier, the Hon. Hall Jones, in reply to a telegram from Mr. DeLautour, managing director of the Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ ‘ Coy., suggesting the advisability of Government arranging for the immediate despatch from England or the Capo of one hundred butchers as assisted immigrants, telegraphed as follows: “In reply to your telegram, which reached mo this morning, I am of the opinion that tho proceedings now pending before the Arbitration Court will supply the remedy and meet the difficulty you refer to.”