THE SLAUGHTERMEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8352, 12 February 1913, Page 9

THE SLAUGHTERMEN

LOCAL WORKS AGAIN ACTIVE. About forty killers were operating at the Gear Meat Company’s works yesterday. Plenty of free labour is coming forward, and the is well san->-fled with the progress that is being made. A similar number of free labourers are operating at the Wellington Meat Export Company’s works. FORTY MEN AVAILABLE! IN INVERCARGILL. Press Association. XNYEECARGIIX. February V. A considerable number of slaughtermen have been engaged by the companies, and a start will be mad© at the Makarewa and Mataura works on tne 13th inst. The Southland Frozen Meat Company have forty men on their books, who have applied for “hooks, ’ and of these sixteen will start at Mataura and sixteen at Makarewa. . , The Ocean Beach works, it is etatou, have experienced no difficulty in finding men to man the boards. KILLING RESUMED AT PATEA. Special to the “Times." WANGANUI, February 11. The Patea works have resumed killing operations by means of free labour today, most of the boards being filled. It is not anticipated that there will be any difficulty in keeping the works going steadily, though naturally they will not bo working at such a high pressure as during the past month. In the interval that has elapsed since the slaughtermen went out on strike the management have taken the opportunity of effecting minor improvements and straightening things up generally at the works. The freezing chambers, which were holding full stocks of meat, have been emptied, and everything is in first-class cider. Things are quiet with the men, there being an entire absence of friction of any kind, ilia general impression appears to be that the men would have, done better had they accepted the employers offer of 27s Gd per 100 and turned a deaf ear to tffose who were counselling a strike. HAWKE’S BAY SHEEP OWNERS SUPPORT COMPANIES. Press Association. HASTINGS, February XI. The work of tho new butchers at Hie local freezing works continues to improve, and some very good tallies are being recorded. There were , thirteen butchers on the boards at Pakipaki yesterday, the highest tally being 54. Sixteen men were slaughtering to-dag. Eleven hundred and seventy-fave sheep were put through at Tomoana yesterday. The situation in regard to tho strike was discussed at a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Sheepownets’ Union this afternoon. ■ The meeting was not open to the press, but at the conclusion the secretary stated that the following resolution was unanimously passed: “That this meeting of sheex>owners approves of the stand taken np by tho freezing companies in regard to the strike of slaughtermen, and proposes to support the companies to their utmost in tho event of their active support being required." KAITI WORKS FULLY MANNED. Press Association. GISBORNE, February 11. There was a full board at the Kaiti works to-day. A number of freezers,' who had abstained from work in sympathy with the butchers, have gone back, and Labour circles hero have recognised that the slaughtermen have been beaten. FREE LABOUR AT OAMARU. OAMARU, February 11. Tho Christchurch Meat Company’s Eveline works will restart to-morrow with free labour. The management states that it has received a large number of applications, some from experienced men. TIMARU WORKS RESTART. TIMARU, February 11. Both of the local meat works restart to-morrow morning with free labour. There is plenty of stock offering, and no difficulty is anticipated in carrying on to the end ,of the season. The local Fellmongers’ Union decided to handle the pelts irrespective of how the killing boards are manned.