THE SLAUGHTERMEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8341, 30 January 1913, Page 11

THE SLAUGHTERMEN

WAITING FOR TO-MORROW’S

CONFERENCE

Matters in connection with the dispute between the slaughtermen and the meat freezing companies appear to bo very much as they were twenty-four hours ago. 'Hie only move of which any hint can be secured is on the part of tho slaughtermen, whoso .secretary, Mr M. J. Reardon, told a " limes representative yesterday afternoon that his negotiations with certain ot tho companies had gone ahead soraeXo information as to the intention of tho companies can bo secured, but some-tiling definite from that side may confidently be expected to-morrow afternoon at tbo conclusion of the conference which is to be field in Wellington under tho presidency of Sir George Clifford. . Tho now agreement at tho works comes into operation this morning, and will run lor three years. It will overlap tho old agreement by a couple of days, as tho latter does not expire until to-morrow night, but the company was willing to let it come into operation to-day because this is tlio beginning of the pay week. To-morrow night the agreements, as well as the men’s notices to cease work, expiro in .all tho other sheds of tho Wellington district, and also in those of Taranaki and Poverty Bay. Tlio Canterbury and Picton works have already stopped, some of the Otago works will stop on Saturday, while tho remaining sheds in tho South have not yet opened for tho season.

AT BELFAST AND ISLINGTON

strike Unpopular.

Press Association

CHRISTCHURCH, January 29,

In accordance with their avowed intentions, tho slaughtermen at work for tho Canterbury Frozen Meat Company (Belfast) and the Christchurch Meat Company (Islington) coased work yesterday afternoon, when tho killing pens were “cut out.” Tho most vital point at issue is tho matter of an increase in killing rates.. The men desire payment at tho rate of 30s per hundred for ordinary sheep and lambs, instead of the late rate of 25s per hundred, and an increase of 6d per head for tho slaughtering of cattle.

The export of sheep and lambs for tho past twelve months is approximately 5,520,000. An increase of 5s per hundred would mean an addition to tho freezing charges, etc., of about £13,800. This sum seems a large one, but from tho slaughtermen’s point of view' the gains to them aro not considered unreasonable. It is estimated that there aro about 900 slaughtermen at work in the various factories in tho Dominion, and the increase will mean that each man would average a little over £l6 extra for his season’s work. It is certain that the strike is anything but popular with other workers in the freezing works, who have all necessarily to be paid off in consequence of the slaughtermen ceasing work. None of these men appear to have any serious grievance with regard to their conditions of work or rates of pay, and in unguarded moments one may hear very strong expressions of opinion indeed as to tho butchers’ actions. There will bo about twentyfour hours’ work for about half the hands after tho slaughtermen down tools, hut after that only a few engineers and carpenters will bo kept on at those works where repairs and renovations are needed. By this evening practically everything will be finished up at Belfast, and the works will close unless a boat comes in, and then some of the meat in store will be shipped. Tho Templeton correspondent of the “Press” telegraphs that very general and sincere regret is being already felt through Islington, Hornby, Templeton and Prebbleton districts at the action of the slaughtermen in refusing to agree to the most reasonable terms offered them to continue the killing of fat lambs and fat sheep. The men, and especially their wives and families, are grasping tho fact that the slaughtermen have made a mistake, and that their refusal to accept reasonable terms has a far-reaching effect, and will be a very serious loss to them. One effect was painfully obvious yesterday afternoon, when some sixty-five able-bodied

men left good, well-paid-for grass seeding and harvesting work on Banks Peninsula and travelled by train into Christchurch.