A VIOLENT ATTACK

Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1926, Page 2

A VIOLENT ATTACK

MR SEA!RLE ON AVAGE PRONOUNCEAIENT. GISBORNE, Jan. 29. “Cowardly camouflage and political jugglery” were the terms used by Mr R. Semple, Dominion organiser of the freezing Workers’ Unions, describing to a “Gisborne Times” reporter ‘the circumstances that led to the dispute between the employees and employers in Canterbury freezing works. Air Semple is at present visiting Gisborne on business connected with the union, which he states has no connection with the dispute. Jit explaining the circumstances that led up to the trouble, Air Semple stated that the rates ot pay ot freezing workers in New Zealand were Mow those paid in Australia. In Australia, he said, slaughtermen were paid £2 os per hundred, while in New Zealand they were paid only 38s fid for big slice]) and 3Gs ior lambs. Labourers wore paid a

minim 11111. wage of 18s a day in Australia, while here there was a fiat rate of 2s an hour. As many slaughtermen came over from Australia for the season, there was a considerable amount ot dissatisfaction over wages, and the Aribtration Court realising tile dissatisfaction had prior to the elections given judgment for an extra penny per hour. “The Court’s decision in that case was ridiculously insincere and only designed to confuse the minds of tlie workers and cause industrial unrest,” stated Air Semple. “The decision had a tag to it. The judgment for an extra penny was subject to the approval of tho employers. It could he quite clearly seen, then, that as the freezers’ award did not expire until 1927, the employers would not be agreeable to any increase. There could be little doubt in his mind that the decision was given for political purposes, but it was done in such a scientific manner that the minds of the workers were confused and they had not seen tho flaw until after the elections.” The duty of tlie Court, lie maintained, should be to create industrial peace and not unrest us had been done in this case. AA'lien the now season had started, Said Air Semple, the workers in the Canterbury district realised the unfairness of the decision mid adopted go-slow tactics in ail endeavour to force the hands of the employers, hut mulling eventuated, and from information lie had received they were now working at normal pace. The law of supply and demand, said Air Semple, had been responsible for the wages of slaughtermen in the Auckland district ami at the AA'niro works being increased by 2s fid per hundred. This increase, lie said, merely had been granted in an endeavour to entice workers from other districts.

Air Semple .states that lie intends to retire from the position of Dominion organiser of the Freezers’ Union at the end of this month and enter into business 011 his own account in AA'ellington in the coal distributing business.