The New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1926. MANNING THE MEAT WORKS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12612, 24 November 1926, Page 6

The New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1926. MANNING THE MEAT WORKS

A prominent farmer-publicist ascribes the freezing workers’ demands for a'lo per cent, rise to the “entirely unwarranted increase granted by the Arbitration Court to the shearers and shed-hands.” It is a feasible explanation. The slaughtermen can easily be imagined as arguing that what was good for the shearer must be good enough for them. But the producers intend to fight, all the same. They are manping works in Hawke’s Bay, and the call has gone forth for similar action elsewhere. If this free labour movement spreads, we may witness a repetition of what happened on the Auckland waterside years ago, when an unpopular strike was quickly settled by the formation of a new union. There should be small difficulty in obtaining sufficient volunteer labour to carry on with. Men who have been vainly seeking employment for months will jump at the opportunity to get into harness of some kind. It might, probably would, be different could the men show that justice is on their side. This they are unable to do. The industry is far from buoyant, and its future cannot be described as exactly rqseate. It is surely the wrong time for the workers to apply the screw to the farmers. It induces cynicism to contrast these militant "bushranger” tactics with those which prevail round about a General Election. Then the Socialists are suavity itself in their solicitude for the small farmer in especial. Let the "squatter,” fat and pampered, remain in the political camp which best suits his ends; there is no hope for the “cockie” except under the beneficent banner of Socialism. By this means the Labour Party, strives to lure the small farmer to its side. - But once the election is over and done with, all these noble gestures of fraternity cease. The farmer, great or small, is then one with every capitalist, so-called: a fit subject.for exploitation by whatever / winds are industrially associated with him. Useless for him to plfead in extenuation dull markets and pressing mortgagees. When the union “bosses” go out after bigger money, the rights or needs of the victims are not taken into the slightest account. Presently, it is hoped, the struggling agrarians who lean toward Holland and Co. will attain to a sound perspective. Mr Holland promises to be a brother to them, as election day approaches, but when it comes to protecting the “brethren” from the extortions of the "comrades,'’ the party leader (or leaders) will be otherwise occupied. However, if the farmers are consolidated and stand firm, many of the butchers may yet be sorry for themselves.