THE SLAUGHTERMEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8348, 7 February 1913, Page 10

THE SLAUGHTERMEN

WELLINGTON COMPANIES’ POSITION. WILL REOPEN SHORTLY. It is officially announced that tho Gear Meat Company and the Wellington Meat Export Company will reopen their works at an early date. Ap nlications, either by experts or learners, for hooks on the slaughtering board -are now being received by the heads of departments. Mr W. G. Foster, managing director of the Wellington Meat Export Company, has issued tho following statement: “I think the time has come when we should , make it quite clear to slaughtermen, intending learners, and others that this company’s works aro compulsorily idle, and that, as may lx expected, we are anxious and ready to make a restart. Naturally, we would have preferred such recommencement should be with trained men, bnt, this being impracticable at present, we are willing to provide hooks for other sections of workers able to slaughter and dress, and for learners. From this it will be understood that the company is not, as has been stated, fighting unionism. On the contrary, I am an advocate of it, provided it is reasonably conducted, but in the present case it has been conclusively shown that slaughtermen in the North Island have season after season made high wages for a fairly lengthy period, and heyone question relatively much greater than members of any other union of workers. If their cessation from work affected them only it would be a comparatively small matter, but they are forcing unemployment on probably more than ten times their own numbers, and this without the excuse of in sufficient pay. Various reasons’ are as sorted for tho registration just effected amongst them being the intention to frustrate the registration of a new union. From this it is reasonable to infer that tho formation of such a new union is imminent. In any case, it would appear that there is lack of unanimity even perhaps in their own ranks. I prefer, however, to think that it rather indicates a desire, now their tactics have saved them : from pains and penalties, to recognise the spirit of the law once more, and I hope that it is the forerunner of the acceptance of the suggestion offered by Sir GecAge Clifford on behalf of - all companies to submit to, and loyally abide by the decision of tho Arbitration Court. This proposal has never been withdrawn by the companies, and is atill open to the Slaughtermen’s Unions. It will be entirely at their door if the present unemployment of large numbers of other operatives continues.” LONGBURN WORKS. Press Association. PALMERSTON N., February 6. The Longburn Freezing Works start killing again on-Monday at 8 o’clock. The company has been advertising dor slaughtermen, and has been successful. PROGRESS OF OPERATIONS IN HAWKE’S BAY. TALLIES OF FREE LABOURERS. Press Association. HASTINGS, February 6. Mr M. J. Reardon, secretary of the Slaughtermen’s Federation, arrived in Hastings last evening, and subsequently attended a meeting of the Slaughtermen’s Union. Interviewed to-day, Mr Reardon said he had no information for the Press arising out of the meeting. Asked if there had been any change in the men’s attitude, Mr Reardon replied in the negative. He said that the tallies recorded by the men who went on the boards yesterday did not affect their position. At Tomoana twenty-eight men killed 500 sheep, and at Pakipaki six men managed .to put through 143, whilst at tho North British Works at the port the total tally was 170. At the latter works there were tea butchers, including eight Maoris. As far as he could learn only one unionist had caved in and returned to work; that was at Tomoana. The tallies recorded yesterday did not weaken the position of the strikers, and they were quite satisfied. In reply to further questions Mr Rf/ir (on said negotiations were now in progress with a large buyer in the North Island, who was prepared to grant the now demands. The gentleman in question had a number of contracts to fulfil for the Home market, and he would insist on the companies killing the sheep according to the terms of the agreement he had with them. He was prepared to accept the terms of agreement entered at the Waingawa Works, but had not been consulted. The sheep he had bought would he slaughtered at tho works most convenient for delivery. As long as the butchers were prepared to do the slaughtering he would insist on the companies doing the , freezing. The strikers are very reticent regarding what took place at last night’s meeting, and no information is obtainable. It is understood that the men were unanimously in favour of standing by the demands, and are confident that the companies ultimately will agree to the new terms asked for. Twelve men went on the hoards at Pakipaki to-day. Applications are coming in from outeida districts, but preference will be given to local men. Twenty-eight men slaughtered 800 sheep in a short day at Tomoana, and their work is improving. POSITION AT GISBORNE. Press Association. GISBORNE, February 6. The possible attitude of tho waterside workers in regard to the employment of free labour on the slaughtering boards at the freezing works has been much discussed, and an addedlight is thrown on the matter by the following resolution, which was carried unanimously at a large meeting of Gisborne waterside workers to-night: “That this meeting accords the SlaughUnion its heartiest support, and in the future will give all tho support possible without infringing the Gisborne waterside workers’ agreement.” This is interpreted to mean that the waterside workers may possibly refuse to handle “ free labour ” meat. The companies, however, anticipated such a contingency when preparing their plans for the introduction of free labour to the boards, and the meeting of sheepfarmers held some weeks ago pledged themselves to stand by the companies right through, even, it was understood, in tho matter of shipping

the meat should the watersidere determine not to handle it. There is every indication that pledged country labour will be employed for tho work, ifio intentions of tho farmers and the companies are to meet resolutely one difficulty after another. The free labour slaughtermen employed at Kaiti observed a ‘ turf holiday ” to-day on account of tho local races, but will resume to-morrow. WAITARA WORKS RESUME KILLING. *— . Press Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, February 6. Borthwick’s Waitara freezing works resumed killing this morning, with six men on the board. Mr W. Borthwick says he is well satisfied with their work, and will have no trouble in fillSi’g the hoards. CANTERBURY SLAUGHTERMEN TURN HARVESTERS. Special to the “ Times.” CHRISTCHURCH, February (i. ' 4 correspondent writes that the leaders of the slaughtermen's strike movement have expressed satisfaction at the fact that the men are finding work at harvesting and other labour while the works are closed. This raises rather an interesting point that other trad© unionists who are averse to self - ish action should take note of, I his is a season of the year when a large number of casual labourers expect to earn monev in the harvest field. Though such labour is not over plentiful, there is no real scarcity reported. The area under grain is smaller than last year, and the crops are 1 very much lighter. Further, the crops are maturing irregularly owing to the wet winter and spring delaying sowing operations. There is nothing like the demand for labour that there was last year, when the crops were unusually heavy and tho harvest cam© on with a rush and hands for stocking and carting the heavy crops were at- a premium. It is not surprising, therefore, to learn that the regular harvest hands are resenting the advent of the freezing works’ employees in the harvest field to the exclusion of many men who are entitled to first daim upon this work. It is a wellknawn fact that tho other employees in the freezing works have no sympathy with the slaughtermen in the action they have taken, which has resulted in tho closing of the works and throwing so many men out of employment. If, therefore, other men can be found to man the slaughter boards at the works the freezing works employees can hardly in fairness object, seeing that they are in the meantime assisting the strikers to take the work from farm labourers. BELFAST AND ISLINGTON WORKS RECEIVING APPLICATIONS. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, February 6. A reporter asked Mr P. C. Webb, president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, who was in town today, if the federation had been approached by either the slaughtermen or the waterside workers on the subject of the trouble at present existing. Mr Webb said that he had been absent from Wellington, the federation’s headquarters, for some days, and was not aware that any communication had been received from either body mentioned, and the executive of the federation had not yet discussed the matter. , All- is quiet at tho two local freezing works, and there are no exciting happenings -to record. Following the lead jf the Belfast works a guard is now stationed at the main entrance to the Islington works, and a .reporter who ■visited the place was told that there >vas no admittance to anybody. The .n lv people who are allowed within the precincts are employees actually engaged in the place. However. Mr Leslie, :ho manager, came out to the gate, and in reply to questions said that, as could be seen, everything was absolutely tranquil. Up to the present work nad been found for a fair percentage of men other than slaughtermen, but it would not last more than another week at the outside, and then every hand would have to he paid off. Mr Leslie said there had been a fair number of applications from men who were willing to man the boards, but he would not hazard an opinion as to the capabilities of the applicants, nor could he give the slightest indication when there was a likelihood of the works starting again. At present the only killing that is being done is for local consumption, and this, of course, is of very small proportions. . Everything about the township of Templeton is exceedingly quiet, not to say stagnant, and here, as at Belfast, local storekeepers must feel the situation considerably, and boardinghousekeepers also. By far the larger portion of single men among the butchers have cleared out and scattered in all directions, while married ones have gone to their homes, the result being that the usually bustling townships have an unwonted air of listlessness. At the Belfast works things are even quieter than at Islington, for all work is at a standstill. The watchman’s task is more or less a sinecure, and his chief complaint is that he has nothing to do. The number of applications at Belfast for work has just about been up to expectations, and it is said that many of the men who applied are very smart, capable-looking tradesmen, several of whom have recently come out from Home, where they have been engaged in butchering. The officials at the freezing works do not seem to bo unduly perturbed at the possibility of trouble arising with the slaughtermen’s assistants. They say that the labour is not skilled labour, and is of such a nature that elderly men or youngsters are quite capable of tackling it, A great deal of drudgery is done away with at the larger works by the installation of up-to-date machinery which deals with offal, and what remains of the job could Be easily picked up by an ordinary labourer m a very short time. The deputy-Mayor has received a letter from the of the Slaughtermen’s Union enclosing the following resolution adopted at a meeting of the union held on Monday night: “This meeting recommends the slaughtermen employed at the city abattoirs, Sockburn, not to kill any stock for boil-ing-down purposes.” ■ Tho deputy-Mayor (Mr H. B. Sorensen) informed a to-day that no slaughtering for hoiling-down was done at the abattoirs, nor was there any intention of taking on any such work. Occasionally to oblige© butchers, small lines of stock were slaughtered at the r.Trittoirs for boiling-down, but work at the abattoirs consisted principally of slaughtering for local consumption. COMPANIES START WORK ON MONDAY. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, February 6. It is considered possible that the meat companies hero will start work on

Monday with learners. Some Australians arrived this week, but as far as can bo ascertained they are standing in with tho strikers. Unionists state that the only labour offering consists pf beginners. The threat of the watersiders to refuse to handle non-union meat has com' plicated the position, and the strikers and their friends are more confident of winning. ABATTOIR MEN .DISSATISFIED. Press Association. INVERCARGILL, February 6. There is a possibility of the butchers at the corporation abattoirs being drawn into the slaughtermen’s dispute. At a meeting of the Town Council to-night Councillor O’Byrne stated that ho had received complaints from the butchers employed at the abattoirs that sheep were being slaughtered there for export. The Mayor replied that this was a usual thing at the abattoirs. Tho custom is for butchers to slaughter any sheep brought to tho works, irrespective of the ultimate destination of tho carcases. The slaughtermen are not employed by the council, hut by master butchers.