THE SLAUGHTERMEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8357, 18 February 1913, Page 4

THE SLAUGHTERMEN

FEDERATION AND PRIVATE CONTRACTS. OPERATIONS ON WEST COAST. Tho Slaughtermen’s Federation executive heKi a meeting on _Saturday evening, when the secretary, Mr M. J. Rearuon, i presented a progress report on certain agreements entered into. •‘An agreement has," says the secretary, “been arrived at with Messrs VV'ilson and Caniiam, Ltd., who are prepared to pay 4s per ■ head for cattle, ibis is 100 per cent, higher than what wo have been receiving under the last award. It is expected that a team of hoof men would commence to-day on a line of 500 head at the Longburn works. We have also entered into an agreement with another exporter who is operating from Taranaki. In this case the rates are as follow: Bullocks and cows, 2s 6d; bulls, 2s 6d; bullocks, if sawn, 3s per head. Calves, up to 1001 b, Is 6d; over 1001 b and up to 2001 b, 2s; over 2001 b, at beef rates. In Taranaki an American agency has recently opened up a new line with Vancouver. This is for the export of calves in tho skin. They have sent an experimental lino of seventy-five head, and intend to extend the trade. This firm has now offered us Is per head to do this work, which involves only the killing of the animal, cutting tho head off, taking out the inside, and cutting off the four legs. At the rate offering, Is per head, they are a gift to tho men, and it has been decided to make a start on several hundred that have been waitingthe knife since the dispute began. The killing will be done at the New Plymouth abattoirs, and tho freezing in an establishment near the New Plymouth wharf. At present the agreements operate only on the West Coast of tho North Island.” POSITION IN CANTERBURY. PLENTY OF LABOUR OFFERING* Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, February 17. The satisfactory state of affairs in almost all tho Canterbury meat freezing works recorded last week continues, and, there is every indication that things will irnpiove more and more until it will not matter much whether the slaughtermen continue on strike, or seek to rctur nto work. Operations were resumed at Belfast this morning with thirty slaughtermen on tho boards,- and much the same state of affairs is reported from the majority of fho works in Canterbury. At Islington there has been a considerable increase in the number of slaughtermen, and the number is being steadily augmented. Applications from men willing to accept engagements as slaughtermen are still being deceived, and there are still a number of men on the list fqr employment whose notice to their present employers has not expired, but whose services will be available shortly.