WORK AND WAGES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2018, 1 March 1907, Page 2

WORK AND WAGES.

THE POSITION IN THE DISTRICT. Matters proceeded yesterday without any notable ovent. At Nelson Bros.’ works the monotonous larnb-an-hour system continued in irresolute fashion. The report that in future the pace was to be so many hours a lamb instead of so many lambs per hour lias not yet been fulfilled.

At the Matawliero saloyards yesterday the trouble was a general topic of conversation, and the tenor of the remarks was that the farmers could support the works in an effective way.

No ropiy was rocoived from the slaughtermen yesterday, nor could it well have been expected. Some men who were thought to be going over to the works to apply for positions were subjected to much banter at the bridge, lint beyond jocularity there was nothing special to mention.

The trouble is causing a good deal of concern to business people, who know that they will soon feel the effect of so milch ready casli being withdrawn from circulation.

CORRESPONDENTS’ OPINIONS. “Slaughterman” writes;—lf the proprietors of freezing Companies Knew the great disadvantages and difficulties slaughtermen had to contend with they would have no hesitation in granting their present demand. 'The men are justly entitled to what they ask, the rate for killing to be increased to 25s per hundred. Many of the slaughterhouses in the south, as well as the Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ Frozen Meat Coy., Ltd., are built in such a way that it depends greatly on the weather and the part of the yard the man is working in, how ho faros. Firstly, the yards have not sufficient overhead space; the roofs are too low, which in hot weather makes it extremely uncomfortable. On tlie other hand, when there is a cold snap, tlie wind comes through at will. There aro no means for regulating the draught, or preventing it striking the men at their work, which alfeets them worse than cut on poisoned lingers. If the companies adopted the new principle of regulated ventilators, which obtains in somo of the new slaughterhouses, it would he to their advantage, as ’.veil as that of the men. The salt water, often used in dressing the carease, is very injurious to the men’s hands, causing swelling and irritation. Then there is the size and quality of the sheep and wool to be taken into consideration. Our sheep are twice as hard as the Canterbury sheep. They are coarser in wool and meat; bigger boned, tougher skinned, and heavier. Slaughtermen are a nomadic race; they never enjoy the comforts of a home, and are kicked about from pillar to post, eking out a precarious livelihood from one country to another. I will not enlarge on the high cost of living here. A Workman writes:—

“Re the question of strike or intimidation.” In my opinion the whole cause lays with the Arbitration Court. If they were not so fond of vacation and adjournments, double the business might be done, and with better results. Tlie Court says tlie award shall last and be in force up till August, 190 G, or until another Court sits. Surely the sittings could be arranged so as not to prove a cause of dissatisfaction on account of the delay caused by the Court ot five months. 1 know tlie Judge gets a good salary, and as to the assessors, if they have not the best job they ever had, I am sure it is a long way from the worst, and the least the Court could do would ho to set an example to the unfortunate men who "have to hear tlie brunt of the battle for fair play without honor.

WELLINGTON, yesterday

The Labor Department lias received word that tlie Arbitration Court’s decision in the prosecution of the Wellington slaughtermen for breach of award was in favor of the men, and against the Labor Department.

CHRISTCHURCH, yesterday.

There was no change to-day in the position of tlie strike. The men are still out, and the freezing industry has stopped. A few potters and preserveds are being treated at the local works, hut the men on strike have not resumed.

The Crown Prosecutor, Mr. Stringer, instructed by the Labor Department, lias issued 150 citations against the men on strike. A meeting of the men will bo held this evening to discuss the position. It is expected they will decide to resume work.

Earmers all over Canterbury are coming forward with offers of casual labor to help to keep the freezing works going. On riiost farms and stations are men who can kill sheep, experienced, skilful and quite, capable of dealing with potters and preserves. One farmer sent two good butchers, and others can supply labor as required. In Ashburton district it is proposed to hold a meeting to take combined action in this direction. The country, in fact, is coming forward to help the companies. Belfast works started this morning with 13 casual laborers. INVERCARGILL, yesterday.

The slaughtermen out on strike held a conference this morning, and waited on the managing director of the Southland Frozen Bleat Company, but no definite arrangements were arrived at. It is probable they will again confer with the manager this afternoon.

The Hon. Mr. Millar, Minister for Labor, left for Christchurch by the first express, and reaches 'Wellington on Friday. There are no fresh developments re the strike, but it is expected the negotiations now proceeding will result in an amicable settlement.

NAPIER, yesterday

At the North British freezing works twelve men waited on the manager and asked for an increase to 255, their action being in sympathy with the movement in other parts of the colony. The men turned to this morning at the old rate, not 255, but promises of an increase were made by the manager DUNEDIN, yesterday.

No fresh developments re the strike. The hands are waiting advice from north before deciding whether to resume work.

MINISTER’S EXPLANATION. INVERCARGILL, last night. The Minister of Labor corrects a mis-statement that he had instructed the Arbitration Court to deal with the strike matter before dealing with other work. What had been done was to request the Court to deal with the strike cases as expeditiously as possible. He adds: It would bo obviously improper for me as head of the Department to dream of issuing many instructions to an independent Court appointed by Act of Parliament.

AN AWARD UPHELD. WELLINGTON, last nigbt. The. Arbitration Court gave its decision this afternoon in the case against the butchers at Petono and Ngaliauranga, who left their work recently. The Court held: It is clear that the industrial agreement referred to in subsection 3 of section 15 must be an agreement which is valid and effectual under the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts, and the question we have to determine is whether the agreement . of Ist August, 1904, is such a valid and effectual agreement. This agreement purports to he made ‘‘this Ist day of August, 1904’, between the Wellington Slaughtermen’s Union of workers of the one part and the Gear Bleat Preserving and Freezing Company of New Zealand, Ltd., and the Wellington Meat Export Company, Ltd., of the other part.” It appears from the evidence that this agreement was executed by the Union first and in pursuance of the resolution made on the 17th June, 1904, and at a special meeting called for the purpose. Mr Cooper, the secretary of the Union, could not swear as to the exact date on which it was executed by the union, but was positive it was executed before the 2Stli day of July, 1904, tlie date on which, according to the attestation clause, it was executed by tho Wellington Export Co., and Mr Cooper thought that it was executed on some day after the 11th July. According to tlio attestation clause it was executed by the Gear Meat Co. on the 30tli July, 1904. On these facts Mr Skerrett contended that the dato of the making of the agreemont_ liad not been truly stated therein as required by tlie Act, and further that of lltli day of July, 1901, which is mentioned in the at-

testation clause, could bo regarded as tlio date of the making of the agreement. Then as the agreement was filed on the 11th August, 1004, it had not been filed within thirty days after the making thereof prescribed by tlie Act. Section 25 provides that a duplicate of the original of every industrial agreement shall within thirty days after the making thereof ho filed in the office of the clerk of the industrial district where the agreement is made. Section 20 provides that every industrial agreement duly made, executed or filed sliall he binding on tho parties thereto, and also on a member of an industrial union or association which is a party thereto. Section 28 provides that an industrial agreement shall he enforceable under the Act and not otherwise. Now it is clear that the agreement in the present cases does not cojiio within the requirements of sub-section ->0 or section 24, in that the date of tho making thereof is not truly stated therein. The date of making thereof was the date winch was executed by the Union, viz., some day between the I.lth and 28th July, 1904, whereas in the agreement the date on which it is stated to have been made is tho first day of August, 1904. To ascertain whether an agreement had been filed in time or not it is essential that the date should he truly stated in the agreement, so that the parties interested may know once from an examination of tho agreement as filed whether it has been filed within the prescribed time. Filing within the prescribed time is clearly essential to the validity of the agreement, and the scheme of the Act seems to he to give narties thirty days from the date when an agreement is first executed by any party to get it completely executed and filed. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act makes an agreement perfected in accordance with the requirements of tho Act binding on the parties thereto and also on all individual members of Unions and Associations hound by it, and confers on parties the right of having the provisions of the agreement enforced ill the same way as an award of the Court, and any breach thereto is punishable by fine. “This gives to an industrial agreement force and efficiency not possessed by any contract at common law, and before an agreement can acquire this force and efficiency, it must comply with the requirements of the Act. This the agreement of the Ist August, 1904, lias not done, and we hold therefore that it was not an industrial agreement within the meaning of the Act. The result is that the application in all •cases must be dismissed.”

CITING THE STRIKERS. CHRISTCHURCH, last night.

The members of the Arbitration Court sat in private conference this morning. Tho court will sit on Tuesday at 10.30 a.m. to deal with the cases against the slaughtermen. A large number of writs have been served on the strikers to appear before the court on Tuesday. It is understood that the view taken by the Labor Department is that the men by refusing to start' work have committed a breach of the Arbitration Act, which it will be argued constitutes a breach of the award. The action being taken is precisely the same as in the Timaru case.

THE BURNSIDE BUTCHERS. DUNEDIN, last night.

There was a rumor this morning that the butchers employed at the Burnside freezing works had returned to work, but this was not true. The men were about the place at the usual time, but did not mount to the killing hoards. They are waiting for word of the expected settlement at Christchurch. The departments of the works not directly concerned with the slaughtering have still work enough to keep the men going. The men were informed this morning that if they resumed work the company would pay them as from that day whatever was finally decided upon at Christchurch, but they declined to start work until everything was settled up North. At the Corporation Abattoirs the slaughtermen were working as usual to-day. They are not employed at so much per hundred, but are on time work, being engaged by tlie week. There were one or two rumors that they contemplated knocking off to-morrow, but enquiries have failed to verify this.

MINISTER FOR LABOR’S DECLARATION. DUNEDIN, last night. The Hon. J. A. Millar, seen at the railway station this afternoon, on route to Christchurch, said that as head of the Department directly affected by the strike he intended to have the law respected. He anticipated no difficulty in recovering fines enforced by relying on ordinary civil process. As to the action of the slaughtermen the Minister said they were only preparing a rod for tlieir own hacks.

It has become jiretty generally- accepted that men from' Australia are at the bottom of the whole trouble, and Mr Millar shares this view. These people boasted of having done the same thing in Australia, and having got what they wanted there they wore going to do it here. Those of the itinerant slaughterers who had made first move at Petone anticipated being out of harm’s way before the court could reach them, and the promptitude of tho department had given them a set back, With an air of determination tlie Minister said, in conclusion, “I’m not going to have these Australians coming hero and defying the law and upsetting things generally.”

HAWKE’S BAY BUTCHERS. NAPIER, last night. ' The position at the North British and Hawke's Bay freezing works at the Western Spit is still unsettled. The sheep slaughtermen turned up on Wednesday morning, but made a formal application for an increase in the killing rate, and intimated that they would only, work until 10 a.m. unless the demands were acceded to. The manager of the company stated that he had no doubt the company would agree to pay the same rate as that arranged in other parts of the colony, but he could give no guarantee of this until he had consulted the directors. The men said this was not sufficient, and the mutton men went out, it being understood the beef men would follow suit when they bad finished the animals they were then engaged on. However, later ill the day it was rumored that tlie beef men would commence killing sheep as soon as they had finished the cattle, and this caused the sheep men to resume work this morning.' All were in their places except one mail, hut the •men intend holding another meeting to further consider the position. The men state they have . always been treated fairly by the company, and have only taken their present action in order to assist the slaughtermen in other parts of tlio colony, and also to obtain a higher rate than that at previous ruling. 7

POSITION IN SOUTHLAND. INVERCARGILL,, last night. There is no remarkable change in regard to the strike in Southland, though it is notable that four men at. Mataura who are local residents have refused to acknowledge any obligation to follow the main body, and arc still at wol-k. At a conference between employers and employees at Invercargill this afternoon, an attempt was made to effect a reconciliation, but no decision was come to. The prefes were not admitted to the meeting. The men refused to modify their demand in any way, and the companies decided that they coidd not make any better offer, than that already made, which is on just tlie same lines as offers made by employers in other parts of tlio colony. This afternoon the slaughtermen met and took preliminary steps necessary for the formation of a union.

Mr McQueen, manager of Southland Frozen Meat Company, stated that ho did not think any further negotiations were probable, and that tlie company no longer recognised the strikers as their employees. They intend to make an effort to fill the board with other men,'and with that object they will probably advertise for hands. The strikers look upon this move rather scornfully, and sav that ordinary butchers and casuals will find it hard to “make tucker at the game.” A gentleman who is in touch with labor unions says that tlio strike is viewed with some indifference by local unions. Freezing works employers have “looked sideways” at unionists, hut ho considers that if there had been a properly constituted union of slaughtermen in Southland there would have been no strike. An alteration of the Act so as to -ivo preference to unionists is the panacea proscribed by this authority as the cure or rather prevention or future troubles. . Tho deterioration of stock is a serious matter, and it is stated that one dealer offered to pay the men tho extra money they demanded if it could be arranged between them and the employers to kill liis sheep.No such arrangemeut lias, however, been made.