SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8764, 15 March 1907, Page 2

SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

Per Press Association. Chiustchukcit, March 14. The position at the Christohurch Meat Company's various factories is understood to be improving daily. At Islington there have been about 30 men at work for the last day or two, and the proportion of men able to slaughter for export is gradually increasing. At Picton, where operations have been suspended for the last ten days, work has again started, and fully 300 a day are expected to be put through for the balance of fchis week. At Smithfield there are about 20 men at work, of whom about one-half are killing for export. Applications for work by suitable men are coming in more freely, and there is every prospect that, by the beginning of next week, a fair quantity will bo treated for export at all the works. A meeting of the Slaughterman's Union was held to-day as the result of which the following telegram has been sent to the Hon. W, Hall-Jones, Acting-Premier, by Messrs T. H. Davey and Geo. Witty, M.II.R.'s, who were present at the meeting : "At a large meeting of members of the Slaughtermen's Union to-night, at which the men were present, a resolution was carried unanimously that members of the Union and ourselves should be vested with full powers to arbitrate with the directors of the Freezing Companies, any question in dispute to be decided by the Arbitration Court. In view of this decision, and probable amicable settlement of the dispute, would you be good enough to give the men fined every possible chance to pay as they best can. It would be a pity to see any of them imprisoned. The cases are to be heard to-morrow. Do your best." The Freezing Companies will consider this new phase of the question at a special meeting to be held to-morrow. InvEHCAKGiT;L, March 14. There are no new strike developments to report. Mr McQueen, manager of the Southland Meat Company, in an interview to-day, said that the companies recognised no strike. The men went out, negotiations ended, and the men are now simply in the position of employees who left the service, and with whom the Company have nothing to do. Individually the old hands applying for employment would be treated on their merits, but as a body of strikers the Company do not recognise them, and no person claiming to represent them as such will be received. Wellington, March 15. The suggestion made by Messrs Davy and Witty, M.'sII.R., that in view of the probable amicable settlement of the Canterbury Slaughtermen's strike the men who wore fined should be given every possible chance to pay as best they can, has been considered by the Minister for Labour, who lias decided that he cannot interfere in tho matter. CnmsTOHXJEcn, March 15. Sixteen strikers had paid their fines by this morning. Justice Cooper this morning heard an application by Mr Stringer, on behalf of the Inspector of Awards, for writs of attachment against strikers who have failed to pay tho fines inflicted by the Arbitration Court. Fifteen men were proceeded against, the object being to show the position of the strikers under the law and to give the others an opportunity to show" causo for not paying. The first defendant dealt with said that he was not in a position to pay the fine. His Honor said that that was no answer to the legal argument. The question was whether tho fine was exempt from tho provisions of the Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Act or was in the nature of a punishment. It was surprising that no s teps had been taken to present through counsel the arguments from the men's side and so to assist the Court on a very important question and he would postpone judgment till two o'clock. Several men when called did not appear, others who did, pleaded inability to pay and one said he supposed, he would have to take it out.

Men to be Arrested

His Honor gave -judgment to issue a writ of attachment against 11 men, authorising the sheriff to arrest them and bring them before the Court at 10.30; to-morrow morning.