Rangitikei Advocate. THURSDAY, FEB. 14, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8740, 14 February 1907, Page 2

Rangitikei Advocate. THURSDAY, FEB. 14, 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

■Tat strike of slaughtermen at ibe '•freezing works of the Gear Company 'and Meat Export Company provides •elear evidence that our ranch praised •labour legislation will not stand any great strain. No reasonable person •ever thought that, it would do so. We are quite ready admit that the : absence of strikes during the last few years ‘has been a great advantage to the country, not only because strikes like otter forms of war entail such waste cf money, but also

because the supposed knowledge that strikes and lock-outs were impossible has cultivated, a willingness among both masters and men to resort to less wasteful methods of settling their differences. This habit of mind has been a great gain, and wo trust will not bo without value in helping to settle the present difficulty. It is I of course impossible for anyone not intimately acquainted with the business of freezing works to form an opinion as to whether the men are underpaid. The workers state that the Company is paying good dividends and they consider that this is ar reason that they should receive higher wages. As wo pointed out in a recent article there is unfortunately no standard for fixing wages that is generally accepted and to raise wages merely because a company is prosperous may amount simply to penalising enterprise and good management. The men state thau they only get work for three months in the year, and that the Company s records would show that the average weekly wages over the whole year did not exceed 255. Thus on the admission of the men themselves they receive £5 a week while at work. They demand a rise of 25 per cent m wares and various other concessions. If *thD slaughtermen expect to earn enough in three months to support them for the whole year their claim is hardly- likely to meet with much st'mpathy. The men have undoubtedly laid themselves open to tne penalties of the law, as tbeir contention that they are not strikers, but that they have only decided as individuals not to continue the workunder present conditions is not likely to appeal very .strongly to the Arbitration Court or to any other Court. Tho impression held by some of the men that their Union has been dissolved and that therefore they are at liberty to act as individuals is not in accordance with the law, as the cancellation or dissolution of a 'union does not relieve its former members of tho duty of obeying awards. If it were otherwise the Arbitration and Conciliation Act would be absolutely futile and unions would appear and disappear at tho will of their members. It is annoying that the trouble shoule | occur Just at the busy season, though of course the men would not be likely to chose any other time for a strike. Unless a settlement is quickly effected the prise of stock will soon rrivo evidence of the fact that Cm market for fat' stock is practically closed and farmers all over tne country will suffer. According to the latest information the Minister .of Labour has strongly condemned the action of the men and has promised that the Department will take legal action against both the Union and the individual strikers. We shall av/ait with interest the result of this step, and feel sure that the Minister will receive the full support of the country in enforcing the law.