SLAUGHTERMEN’S STRIKE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 26, 29 January 1913, Page 8

SLAUGHTERMEN’S STRIKE.

THE POSITION IN GISBORNE. (Per Press Association.) Gisborne, January 23. The chairman of the Gisborne Sheep Farmers’ Company announces that tin men having given no answer to the of fer made by the conference of 27s Gd with unaltered conditions of work, they must therefore be presumed stand upon their notice to cease work on January 31. Therefore it become; necessary for the company to see that steps be taken to protect the interest: of the farmers. The factory will not close down unless labour is proved to be unobtain able. Every effort will be made to keep the factory going. The chairmai expects that men are now eai niniover £7 per week, and this, at tin rate now offered, will rise to nearly £c per week. The demands of the outside federation which appears to con trol the free action of the local men will not in any case be granted by tin company. To grant these claims v\ouk mean an automatic destruction of tin. industry throughout and a gradual re duction in the number of men capabh >f following the trade, and a loss ol the employers’ right to regulate and control the work would also create tyranny over labour itself which woulo be intolerable. The men in employment will have the first offer of work, and places will be guaranteed till the end of the season of June, 1900. Ah men other than expert slaughter men will also have guaranteed preferentia. rights. Free labour will be adequately paid until such labour becomes efficient. Every effort will be made to re Lain the present employees, and ri they lose employment it will only be oecause they prefer not to work. CHRISTCHURCH CEASES WORK. Christchurch, January 2&. The slaughtermen at Smithfield ana Belfast ceased work this afternoon .suunag is settled so far as to what will be the result of the trouble. There was no demonstration to-day, and the men left quietly. IMPORTANT EVENTS EXPECTED Wellington, January 28. There are likely to be some developments of importance very soon in con nection with the slaughtering dispute. Both sides now appear to ho making a move, but whether it is a move together or a move still further apart has yet to be demonstrated. On Friday another conference of representatives of meat freezing companies r to be held in Wellington. It has been convened by Sir George Clifford, an(. will bo practically a continuation of i conference which sat here on .the 1/th instant, and issued an ultimatum tc the men which expired last Friday This week’s conference will be held on the same day that the men’s notice to cease work in nearly all sheds will ex i pire. The purpose for which the con ference has been convened is not pub iicly stated, but it is surmised that delegates are being called together to review the position in file light of the recent development. The action of the men in ignoring the offer of the previous conference will have to be discussed, while the break-away of the Wellington Farmers’ Meat Company (Waingawa) may lead other companies to reconsider their attitude. One suggestion is that the companies may decide to give in to the men’s demands for increased wages and to make agreements similar to that concluded at Waingawa last Saturday. On the other hand, it is considered that the companies will stand firm and let the works be closed for the rest of the season, in the hope of being able to make a fresh start next year. In the meantime the Slaughtermen’s Federation is making a definite move. The I secretary (Mr. M. J. Reardon) stated 1 to-day that he had opened up negotia- | lions with several of the smaller companies with, a view to securing an agreement similar to the new Waingawa one. He was negotiating at pres iu with those companies likely to study I the interests of the farming community. it agreements could 1 e se- | cured as good as that made at Wai- ! ngawa. the Federation wou*d come t." terms. There was little doubt that ! tne men elsewhere would bo willing to work under the conditions agreed upon ; there. I