HOLY TRINITY PARISH

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2019, 2 March 1907, Page 2

HOLY TRINITY PARISH

The particulars of the Lenten Services to be held in various parts of tho above Parish to-morrow are announced in this issue. At the 8 a.m. celebration the candidates who received Confirmation on Sunday last will receive Frst Communion. The vicar invites all communicants in the Parish to attend, and join the newly Confirmed on this occasion. A sjiecial invitation is issued to all Confirmed in Trinity Church in previous years. At 11 o’clock there will be morning prayer and sermon, followed by a second celebration. At the 7 o’clock evensong, in Trinity Church, the Rev. F. AV. Chatterton, of Te Ran College, will be the preacher. There will be the usual 7 o’clock evening service at the Alangapapa school, conducted by the Rev. H. N. AVright. The vicar specially draws the attention of Kaiti and AVaimji residents to the services to be held in the new Kaiti public school. The first service will be held to-morrow evening at 7 o’clock. The vicar will, officiate. All residents, quite irrespective of denomination, who find it" difficult or impossible to get in to any town place of worship, are heartily invited. The services will be perfectly plain and simple, with plenty of old familiar hymns. All books will he provided. There will be a short meeting after the service. _ . A Sunday School will be started m tile Kaiti schol to-morrow at ~-‘>o p.m. The Rev. H. N. AVright is in charge, and will bo pleased to welcome all children.

WORK AND WAGES. MEDIATION OF THE MAYOR. At a private mooting of tho slaughtermen on Thursday night,’ it was agreed that Doth parties should ask 11 is AVorship tho Mayor (Air J. Townley) to net as mediator, and yesterday morning tho following letter was despatched to tho Company:—“Tho ALinagor, Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ frozen Moat Co., Ltd. Dear Sir, — f am requested ,por favor of Air. ToWnloy, to lay before you the following proposal from the men: 'That tho Company coneedo tho request of the slaughtermen for 25s per hundred pending tho award of the Court in the present dispute, such award to lie accepted by both parties,—Yours faithfully (Signed) Tlios. Jackson.” The letter was considered at a meeting of directors, and tho following reply was sent:—“lst March, 1907. .J, Townley, Esq., Gisborne. Dear Sir, —I have, oil behalf of this Company, to thank you for your intervention in the unfortunate dispute with the slaughtermen. Tho proposal from the men which you submit oil their behalf is in effect wlint has boon offered to them all along except that they wish the Court’s decision as to the rate of pay shadowed beforehand at 25s per 100. We cannot agree that the Court, in arriving at its decision should thus bo hampered. If oil hearing the men’s evidence the Court gives them a substantial increase, it will be cheerfully paid as from the 22nd February (the date of the first letter to the Company asking for an increase). There is every reason to expect that the Court will sit at Gisborne in a short time. On its sitting the Company will join with the men in waiving all formal objections, and ask tho President to at once deal with tho application of tho Union, first dealing with tho section of the claim which affects tho slaughtermen. If the men choose to go on to-morrow, and inform me in time for sheep to be supplied, they can do so on the terms of my letter of 17th February, viz.: ‘Rates of pay, award rates. To be modified retrospectively in accordance with any subsequent award.’ In Hint case it will not bo necessary for thorn to formally send in their names before 12 o’clock to-morrow, but the work will bo treated as continuous, and no further notice will be taken ol the interruption which lias taken place,” Mr. Townley was present at the meeting, and his counsel was accepted by the men in a friendly spirit, and there is good reason to believe that tho timely intervention of tho respected Mayor will greatly facilitate the settlement of a trouble that is already having a bad effect’ on all business.

Things prgressed in the same monotonous way at the Tarulioru works, but actin guilder instructions, Air. Fenwick, tho acting manager, in the afternoon put tho following question to the men: “Aro you prepared to kill on full tallies to-morrow, on tlio basis of our offer to pay on tho new award rate? If not, wo will have to close tho works.” An early answer was requested. “Old Joe” writes:—Many people seem to think that slaughtermen liavo much better times since the award; Cult this is not so, as the following facts will demonstrate. Before tho award slaughtermen were getting £1 per hundred sheep, paying 12s a week board, six paid holidays at 10s a day, Is a day bonus, and Is 8d a day when not killing (tucker money). Since tho award the rate is £1 per hundred, the hoard having icreasod to 14s a week, There are no paid holidays, and no bonus, although tho Is 8d a day is still allowed when not killing. Air. John AtcPhersm. Gladstone Road, writes:—“Sir, —Anc-nt the correspondence in your columns re slaughtermen’s wages, with your permission I will endeavor to put you as well as the public right in regard to same. No doubt the public think, and it is in the interests of the management of the freezing works to keep von thinking, that butchers earn big money; but take a butcher’s earnings for the twelve months, and if Afr. Do Lautour likes, I will bet that they don’t? earn £2 10s per week, and bo must bo a top-notcher to do that. Also Air. DoLautour is very much exercised about the men’s wives and families; lie is not so particular about them when tho works stop in the slack season of tbo year. He is done with them then; they must shift for the little ones themselves. Now, sir, you must admit that the cost of living lias gone, up considerably these last few years, yet butchers’ wages have come down. In the early days of freezing works, tho men were paid at Burnside £1 for 80 sheep, and when there were no sheep in they got 5s per dav, and no doubt the butchers think with high prices ruling for wool and mutton, they ought to have a cut in. Another thing, the management have put about that the men have struck work. Kid stakes! Air. Jones at tho Kaiti ivories gave the men the sack because they would not do more than two per hour. Now in the award it does not say how many shall be an hour’s tally. AA’lien the butchers wanted to make not less than six tally the objected, and Air. AYarren, of Nelson Bros.’ said they could do as many as they like, so why did Air. Jones, in the absence of Air. Cedenvall, giro them the sack because they would not do more than two; and in regard to Air. DeLautour’s wire.to the Premier t'o bring butchers from the Argentine and Gape, does he know what ho is taking about? I don’t think so, or he would hesitate before lie ever mooted such a thing. Does he know that when the Argentine butchers are out of work they swagger about the cafes and saloons with a knife stuck in their stocking leg, and take my tip, it is not) always sticking there. "Does ho think lie could manage a hundred or so if ho had them here? It would be a bit of experience for him.”

TERMS OFFERED TO MEN NOT ACCEPTED. Last night a meeting of the Freezing Works Union was held in Toivnloy’s Hall. Press representatives were not admitted, We understand that owing to the meeting not having been called in strict _ accordance with the Union’s rules, it was decided to adjourn. The slaughtermen remained behind, and discussed matters among themselves. The replv from the employers was read, and'after some discussion the men' did not see their way to accept the employers’ terms.

Press Association GORE, yesterday. Tlio men at Mataura were given an hour and n-linlf this morning to say whether they would resume. They did not start, and the tour killing beef are also out to-day. the loan of the works was granted to I'. Wallis to kill 2250 lambs, and lie has made arrangements with the men to kill these for him this afternoon at tlie 25s rate. INVERCARGILL, yesterday. The strike situation was altered to-day, when it was practically decided the men should start at Mataura to slaughter sheep on the ground at 20s, and Ocean Bench will probably do likewise. I’b° men agreed to slaughter for big Home buyers at 20s at Wnllacetown, bill so far tlie Company have not given the use of the works. Only nine of the strikers belong to Southland. DUNEI) TN, yesterday. The men are still oiit at Burnside awaiting developments in the North.

CHRISTCHURCH, yesterday. There was no change in the position of the. strike to-day, the works dealing with potters and preservers by means of casual labor. v'J: 1 . 1 - men have been put on the killing board at Belfast. 'The Company are still waiting for the Union to approach thorn. The men on the other hand' are in no trepidation and apparently take a complaisant view of the position. Ail have been served with citations to appear ;;t the Arbitration Court on Thursday. CHRISTCHURCH, last niglit. Enquiries at the head offices of tlie two local freezing companies to-day show tlie position ill regard to tlie slaughtermen’s strike is still unchanged. Twenty men, including assistants, farmers, and casual workers are now butchering potters at Belfast. Applications for employment on similar work are being received by tha other company. Mr. Weymouth, when pressed on the subject, admitted that he had heard a rumor to the effect that the slaughtermen wore feeling disposed to resumo operations almost immediately, but ho bad nothing to say about it. Apparently be attached no importance to such statements, ipr bo went on to say: “Our position is unchanged. We are waiting for the Union to approach us. We tinderstand they are calling a meeting for to-morrow night, and in tlie meantime we are content to wait.” Mr. E. Johns, Secretary of the local Freezers’ Union and Slaughtermen’s Association Union, waited on the Hon. J. A .Millar, Minister for Labor, this morning. .Mr. Johns was introduced by Mr H. G. Ell, M.H.R., and the Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C., was also present. The interview was of a private nature, the reporters not: being admitted. It is understood that the Minister’s attention was drawn to the fact that tlie two Unions named have cited cases for the

Arbitration Court, and the approaching close of tlio season and the consequent dispersal of the workers make it highly desirable in their interests that the cases should bo dealt with at. as early a dato as possible. Is is not suggested that the freezers and slaughtermen assistants aro showing any disposition to follow the example of the slaughtermen, although tho strike of the latter is largely attributed in some quarters tc Arbitration Court delays. INY’ERCARGILL, last night. The principal development in the strike to-day is that work at Mataura and Ocean Beach was re-start-ed in the afternoon, the understanding being that they kill oil' waiting stock. It would cost the owners Cd railage eaeli way and 3.‘3<1 a week keep if tho stock were sent hack to the farmers, and rather than that they have agreed to pay the extra id a head or thereabouts to make up [lie 25s per 100 demanded, the men to haul the stock slaughtered. The .Southland Frozen Meat Company bail made similar arrangements, having practically handed over control of the Mutuum works to a dealer who bad 2000 sheep at the works. Tho sheep-owner must find the men, hut it is understood that some men have gone buck. The four butchers who refused to strike with tho others turn, out to be beef bands. They refused to kill mutton, and have since thrown in their lot with the strikers. Tho strike could not have happened at a more opportune time for Southland according to some authorities, as some drafts recently sent to the works had been on tho "light side. Tho recent rains have greatly improved tho pasture and sheep for freezing will increase greatly in value during the cessation of killing operations. GORE, last night.

There is practically nothing new to record in regard to the strike at Mataura. Tho men were engaged to-day killing a line of 2250 sheep for a private exporter who made arrangements with tho Company for tho use of the works, tho rate paid being 25s'per hundred. A small lino of 400 is to bo similarly dealt with for another exporter.. The company is now advertising for butchers, and it is expected that ill a day or two the strikers will be notified that Choir services will no longer he required. The majority of the men were personally opposed to strike, but all have gone out, the previous statement that four of the local butchers intended remaining loyal to tlio Company being incorrect.- The Hon. Millar’s allegations that Australians are at the bottom of the trouble is certainly true as far as the Mataura works aro concerned, the prime movers there being several Sydney-siders who have been, particularly keen on tlio question of striking, and who made no secret of their connection with Australia and tho success that attended them. There is a feeling abroad that the strike is in the fizzling out stages.