“GO SLOW” TACTICS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 April 1930, Page 6

“GO SLOW” TACTICS

AT FREEZING WORKS

(By Telegraph—Press Aseociat.ou)

CHRISTCHURCH, April 10,

The “go slow’’ tactics adopted by the freezing works slaughtermen in South Otago lust, week spread to Canterbury to-day and affected operations at some of the local works. Exact information on the extent of the interference with normal running of the works is unobtainable. In •some quarters the hope is entertained of a settlement to-morrow and in another a fear is expressed that the movement may spread to involve all •the Canterbury works. A cessation or slowing, up of killing would be particularly unfortunate at present, as a shortage of feed, owing to the long dry spell which is still unbroken over most of the province, has been forcing the, farmers to send their sheep and lambs to the works in large numbers. Killings were reduced today by the “go slow” with stopwork meetings at Borthwicks works at Belfast, at North Canterbury sheep farmers’ works at Kaiapoi, and at the Canterbury Frozen Meat Cov’s Works at Belfast. Work was not affected at the Islington Works of the New Zealand Refrigerating Coy., nor at Fairfield Works, Ashburton. It is reliably estimated that there arc suificient supplies at the various works on the road and bought to keep all the works running, at capacity lor six weeks. There has never been a time when trouble at works has had such serious possibilities. TTMARU, April 16.

After two days without al development, further trouble was experienced at the freezing works in South Canterbury yesterday. At Pareora normal killing proceeded up till eleven., when the butchers ceased work and held a meeting. They resumed twenty minutes later, but on a “go slow rate of four sheep per hour. A further meeting was held at the lunch_ hour. When the men took the board at one o’clock the foreman butehci requested them to resume normal killing. Twenty men, of the permanent staff, were agreeable, but the remainder, thirty-three men held out. As work was mot 'Commenced by two-thirty, the boards were washed down for the day.

At Smithfield, work normally proceeded throughout the morning. A meeting lasting two hours was then held. The men resumed at the “goslow” rate.