THE SLAUGHTERMEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8347, 6 February 1913, Page 8

THE SLAUGHTERMEN

NO FRESH DEVELOPMENTS. The secretary of the Slaughtermen's Feleration, Mr M. J. Reardon, has left Wellington on a tour of the East Coast, in connection with the dispute between the federation and the freezing companies. BOARDS IN FELL SWING A'. GISBORNE. WORK BY THE MEN CONSIDERED SATISFACTORY. Press Association. GISBORNE, February 5. Slaughtering operations under free labpux conditions ■wore being continued satisfactorily to-day at Haiti and ’lokomaru works. There were twenty-three men on the Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ Frozen Meat Company’s boards when work was resumed this morning, several of the men who had been working on the two previous days being absent through minor injuries, cuts, etc. At 1 o’clock the number had been strengthened to twenty-seven, ihe company intends taking on new men as they come along until the board is made up to forty. , . Questioned as to the position Mr C. A. De Latour, chairman of directors, stated that the work was very satisfactory, and quite np to the average of the exports. There was nothing whatever to complain of on the cooling door yesterday. “We are quite satisfied, whether the slaughtermen remain out or not, we shall get through the season with satisfaction to our customers. It will be a matter for regret if the work has to be done without the assistance ot past servants who have done it so well. Still, that is not going to prevent us fulfilling our contracts with our clients. The interval that must expire before a full board is efficient will cause some delay; but I do not anticipate that that will be inconvenient, taking into account the advanced stag© of the season and the feed that is available. Another thing that is disappointing is that it is absolutely necessary to reduce the number of hands attendant upon the output of the slaughter board that would otherwise be employed. That, however, is quite beyond the control of the company until the work obtains normal limits.’’ This afternoon Mr A Dewing, manager for Messrs Nelson Bros., Taruheru works, informed a reporter that it had been decided to resume operations at Taruheru on Monday. The works will resume with the assurance of a full board of slaughtermen. As a matter of fact the company could have made a start to-day, but, in’ view of Thursday and Friday being race days (the employees generally prefer to attend the same) and Saturday being a half day, it had been arranged to postpone the start till • Monday. There would be no difficulty whatever in filling the board. The men that were being taken on were outsiders, although several had killed at Tomoaaa at different times. The new hands were mostly from the country and had a knowledge of the work. There are now eighteen men on the boards at Tokomaru. and work is going along quietly. Mr J. Reardon is expected here on Friday, and as a mass meeting of the Freezers? Union is convened for Monday night probably something definite as to the attitude of the freezers will be then forthcoming. FREE LABOUR PLENTIFUL IN WANGANUI. .WANGANUI, February 5. The response to the Wanganui Freezing Company’s call for free labour has been responded to by twenty men, and it is anticipated by the management that the works will be in full swing again with full boards on Monday. WATERSIDE WORKERS’ ATTITUDE. MATTER REFERRED TO FEDERATION OF LABOUR. CHRISTCHURCH, February 5. Apart from the applications of the three big unions concerned in the slaughtering dispute, including Canterbury, for registration under the Arbitration Act, the position of the contending parties is unchanged. The- companies are reported to have had a certain, response to their application for free labour, but have not yet fixed a date for restarting their works. The slaughtermen still maintain that no experts will offer themselves, and that the learners available will be incompetent to do anything like satisfactory work, and unable to break the back of the strike. The companies, on the other hand, are said to welcome a stoppage of a week or two, and have not been inconvenienced so far. The attitude of the waterside workers towards ‘‘scabs’’ will have an important bearing on the struggle between the men and the companies. The two unions are now affiliated to one another, but it is confidently asserted that if "free” labour is put ou the work, the stevedores will refuse to handle the meat. The matter has been before the waterside workers, and has been referred to the executive of the Federation of Labour for a pronouncement. THE DIFFICULTY IN NORTH OTAGO. NO AGGRESSIVE ACTION CONTEMPLATED. OAMARU, February 5. Questioned as to whether the men were likely to accept the 27s fid offered by the companies, a local member of the Slaughtermen's Union replied that ho did not think so. Neither did 'he think the butchers would adopt aggressive action in the event of the boards being manned with free labour. “Let the free labourers free labour as long as they like,” said he. "Most of the butchers up there (meaning apparently Wellington butchers) have accepted other billets, and I suppose wo will do the same here. We lived before we went to this gamoi and we can live again now.” The “Mail” states ther is a widespread feeling among the farmers in this district that the companies should have made such arrangements with the men, even to the extent of giving 30s per 100, as would have assured the season’s killing being carried on without interruption of a strike. As it is the lamb business is paralysed, and at a time when many farmers were relying on the disposal of their lambs to meet financial obligations. Three years ago when the rate was raised to 25s per hundred, fat lambs were selling at lie to 12s; to-day the price of fat lambs is 18s. but it must not be forgotten that it costs more now to produce a fat lamb. Ewes are scarcer, and, therefore, dearer, land is dearer, and labour dearer. OPERATIONS RESUMED IN HAWKE’S BAT. BASTINGS, February 5, Mr Borthwick, of Pakipafci, reports that the works resumed operations to-day with a board consisting of six free labourers. Applications are coming in freely, but the firm is only engaging men who have had experience with the knife. The firm expects twelve men to be working to-morrow. The men are not making large tallies, hut the dressing is of average standard. Only one or two carcases were rejected as unfit for export. The speed in killing will increase every day. The firm is thoroughly satisfied_ with the work done. Nelsons (Tomoana) report that work was resumed this morning with twenty- , eight man. They will only wort a. jfhmA.

quarter day until tlio men are accustomed to the task. The killing done is entirely to , the firm's satisfaction. There has been no trouble of any kind. The North British Company (Napier) reports that . twelve men are on the boards. They are a little bit slow, but very satisfactory in their work. Everything is going on quietly. The general opinion among employers here is that the local slaughtermen wore not dissatisfied, and there would never have been a strike but for outside influence. _ . The Freezing Works Industrial Union of Workers held a meeting last night, when 200 were present, including practically all the workers other than slaughtermen from local works. The meeting was not open to the press. Information supplied by the secretary this morning is to the effect that as insufficient notice of the meeting had been given no resolution was passed, but the position was fully discussed, and it was agreed that the members of the union should remain at work irrespective of the fact that the killing boards are manned by free labourers.