MEAT EXPORT TROUBLE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8361, 22 February 1913, Page 6

MEAT EXPORT TROUBLE

POSITION OF FREE WORKERS. It is anticipated that full complements of slaugutermen will be working at both Poteue and Ngahauranga within a few days. Tbe men now oti the boards are reported te be turning out excellent worn, and the companies arc said to be very well satisfied with the prospects. They have already announced their intention of giving to their present free labourers_ who quality as experts first consideration at any time. A considerable number of applications for hooks is still being received. Yesterday tbe secretary of the Slaughtermen’s Federation, Mr M. Reardon, said that in every freezing works in the North Island, with one exception, there were union men at present employed. These men had come in on the companies’ terms, and they had done all they promised to do when they went in—to do four sheep an hour, and do them fairly well, they had done up to six per hour, which was forty-eight per day for the 15s. Now, the companies were in the position that they had either to dismiss the union men who were doing better than they undertook to do when they accepted engagements on the companies’ terms, or they must break faith in the matter of the 15s per day. “ We have felt,” said Mr Reardon, “that the companies have never seriously sat down and endeavoured to effect a settlement. If they want this fight to go on they will find, probably, that we are with them to the end, because our union men now employed with them are on a better wicket than the ywould bo at 30s per hundred. They are getting 15s for less than fifty sheep. If they (the companies) think they can continue the battle, they will probably require to put the free labourers through a sieve, because the slaughtermen are on the trek. The men are losing, because some of them are not in work; the companies are losing because in many instances they are paying as high as Hid per sheep, and it will be found that tbe average price paid now will be about 7d per bead; but, most of all, the community is losing by reason of the fact that four times this quantity of stuff could be put through under normal conditions. If the present state of affairs continues until the end of the season, the exports of frozen meat must necessarily suffer by at least one-half. However, if the companies are still desirous of fighting, 1 suppose the game must go on. But I again express the hope that if they want to go on, they will be prepared to adhere to their own conditions. Our men are in absolutely on the companies’ terms—and their average is about forty per day.” Commenting upon the statement, Mr W. G. Foster, managing director of the Wellington Meat Export Company, said: “ In every respect we are carrying out the undertaking we made with our men and the conditions under which free labourers came and took work on our board. Those unionists who were at work never disclosed the membership of their union, and we have regarded them all through as independent.” AT PETONE. From Our Own Correspondent. With seventy slaughtermen on the “ board,” 2600 sheep were handled yesterday at tho Gear , Company’s works. In the beef department twenty bodies were treated by the one gang employed, and no additions to the number of men on the “board” is contemplated at present. A number of slaughtermen who are on strike have arrived back in Petone, and it is rumoured that it is their intention to apply for “hooks” in a body, provided tbe present men on the “board” are discharged. The company is so well satisfied with the progress made by their butchers that an application mad© by a. collective body of the old slaughtermen for places on the slaughtering board will not be considered. There are very few “ hooks ” now available, and individual application may secure a place, if open, but even then applicants will have to take their chance with the number of applications received daily. i THIRTY MEN ON BOARDS AT WANGANUI. Press Association. WANGANUI, February 21. The local freezing company now have over thirty men on the killing boards, and the daily tally is. steadily improving. Over twenty other applicants are available, and applications from others are coming to hand daily. i The Makarini has just completed the loading of 15,000 carcases, in addition to wool, tallow, etc.