FURTHER STRIKES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81918, 28 February 1907, Page 2

FURTHER STRIKES.

OTACJO AND SOUTHLAND SLAUGJI-' TJiJUJJSN OUT. OUT OF SYMPATHY TO NORTHERN STRIKERS. ALLEGED COERCION. ARBITRATION COURT JUDGMENT. TAREORA STRIKERS FINED £5 A-PIECE. NO IMPROVEMENTS IN OTlllill PARTS Per Press Association. Blenheim, February 27. Slaughtermen at the Christchurcli Meat Company's freezing works at Picton struck this morning for 25s per 100. There are 500 lambs awaiting slaughter in the pons. Invercargill, February 27.

The butchers in this district demand 255. Clients are willing to keep the stock back, asifeed is plentiful. Fortylive men are idle at Wallaceftown and 30 at Ocean Beach. Several chamber hands are idle.

The position of affairs in Southland with regard to the strike has not materially altered to-day. The Mataura hands lulled all the sheep yesterday but stopped work soon after starting this morning and held a meeting. On a vote it was decided to cut out all sheep in the pen and then " go out " in sympathy with the general movement They finished the sheep at 3 o'clock, and are now definitely out on strike. The company has offered to give the men the price agreed on by the Northern companies. The men have no particular grievance, but are striking out of sympathy. About 1000 " potters" at Ocean Beach will be slaughtered by casual hands, after which it is probable that no work will be done, Meantime the consignments of stock to these and the Wallacetown works have been stopped, and preparations made for the accommodation of sheep on hand. Butchers from the Beach and Wallace town met at Invercirgill to-day and made arrangements for a conference with employers. Proceedings were held in camera. A conference between the employers and three representatives of the strikers was held some time yesterday, but was also kept dark. It is understood that the employers submitted counter proposals and that these had been referred back to the men. At least one more conference .vill be necessary before the final settlement. Another meeting will be I held to-morrow, when it is anticipated the men will answer the terms submitted by the companies.

Gore, February 27. The men at the Mataura works went out for an hour this morning, but resumed on the company agreeing 'to pay whatever was specified in the next HV.U-tl ■■

The butchers at the Mataura Freezing Works {lO in number) struck this aftenoon after killing GOO sheep tha 4 were in the pens. This action, the men readily enough admit, is not through any complaints against the employers, but out of loyalty :to t'.ic Northern strikers. It is stated on fairly reliable authority that intimation reached the Mataura butchers from the North that if they dirt not go out they would be boycotted by the Northrn unionists. This has coerced them into taking a step they would iu all probability not otherwise have taken. To-night fifteen of the sixteen butchers met and discussed the position. It is understood that

the men resolved to remain out. They frankly admitted in the discussion the fairness of the company towards them, but expressed a fear that refusal to join in the general movement would cause them to be posted throughout the colonies as blacklegs, ithns preventing them gaining employment elsewhere. It was definitely decided, therefore, to remain out. A cona'gnment of 200 sheep arrived at the works by train this afternoon, and the men decided not to kill them. The strike is confined entirely to the. killing of sheep. Beef will be killed as usual.

There are 40 head of cattle in tl pens at present, and these will be kil ed to-morrow.

Dunedin, February 27

The butchers employed at the Bumside Freezing Works went out this morning, Apparently tlic news that the men employed at the South'and works had struck finally decided them. They held a meeting this morning, and two of them were deputed to tell Mr John Wilson, the working manager, that they wanted 25s per 100 as is being demanded elsewhere. This was neither in the power nor will of the manager to grant, and nineteen men struck. Some of them went home and some mto town, and there was uo disturbance. Mr Wilson and Mr Barber (agent for the Christehurch Meat Company) were joth scjh this morning. <s We were in measure prepared for it," said the former. '• For the past fortnight, although the men have expressed no dissatisfaction, everything has not been too sweet If this had happened | last week, we would have been left with 5,000 sheep on our hands. As it is because of our suspicion, there are only 250. The men hud been told thai whatever was given for rough ' potters' (rams, etc.) up North, would be given at Burnside, though the same rate hns never been applied before. Also, they got an extra shilling some time ago, and kuew that they were to get a bonus 01* retaining fee of one shilling." Mr Wilson, says that good butchers haye been earning from 15s*to 20s a day, and their average working day is scarcely more than eight hours. If anyone had cause for complaint it was the employers. Lately the work had been more ou less slovenly, the men rushiug through to make big money. There is no doubt, he added, that their reason for going out is they are fright ened of being boycotted by the others, for they had everything to gain and nothing to lose by standing to their work.

Mr Barber considered that the delays of the Arbitration Court were largely to blamo. He had something to say about travelling butchers, too. "It has always been men going about from place to place who cause trouble," he said. Ho also stated that the only reason he had officially received froiii the men as' to their refusal to work, was that slaughtermen throughout New Zea'aad had gone ou .strike, and they considered they would be regarded as blacklegs were they to continue working.

Three of the men called at tlie " Star" otiice this morning, and stated that they held u meeting on Monday, when it was decided to form an Otagc and Southland Union, with Mr H M"acls T amara as president, and Mr J iiaird as secretary. It was agreed at ; meeting to ask for 25s per 100, am first thing this morning this dceisioi was conyoyed to Mr John Wilson, th working manager, and as he cou'd no give them anything satisfactory to g on with, they left the works withou starting One of their number wa deputed to remain behind to see if an saftf.wbry arrangement cjuui D arrived at. He will report to a meet ing to-night. " The public run awa; with the idea," said one of the met " that butchers earn big wages nil tli year round, but I can confidently sa chat there is not a butcher iu the wliol of Australasia who earns !)■> a day, am tie has to start at any hour and knoe: oil' at. any hour. Then he has to con tend with such things as cuts am poisoning. I don't kno vof a man ii fact, and I have brett at the trade fo 12 years, who has yet gone through i -eason without being laid up. "Anothc matter which we would- like men tioned," said another, "is that eitr; I work is boing put on us year after year is a result of this, it nov takes a man a liiiuuto to a nunut and a half longer to dross shoe than he did formerly. \ r ou c:in't ge a living solely by butchering in Aus traliii or Hew Zealand, and you there fore have to travel between the othei

siclc and. here, and that nil takes mo ncy. It has been said that the bonus ivas increased at the Christchurcli I works, and a like alteration was ma.tt here, Now (hat is not so. Donas j rates have not been equal at Burnsido We only get fid, whereas they get Is. There is another thing. Aaslraliims have been blamed for the trouble that j has arisen. This is not so. I'lie w, rk 1 cannot be done in Australia without

men going there from New Zealand. It could not be dono it Australians did not come here." Two men, interviewed at Burnside, agreed that from 80 to 00 sheep a day is a good average for a butcher, and that the ayerugc earnings < f a man at Burnside during the season ■ i'om January to June is K<s a day. ' There are accidents such as blond poisoning to be considered," said the second man, "and the stuff that comes through here is stuff. There ace not many lambs." Some departments of the works are

being carried on, but cverthing connected with the butchery is at a stand- 1 still. The assistant butchers had to i

be sent home: There were no freezing | buyers at the sales to-day. The men ' at the abattoirs have made no sign. Gishoexe, February 27.

It is understood proceedings are to taken against the local slaughtermen fir a breach of award, though the men claim they havcu't struck, but have turned up to work, though slaughtering at a reduceifrate. The latest advice is that the men positively refuse to I'nll into line. A meeting of the Sheep Farmers' Co. directors was held this afternoon to discuss the situation. The works are now practically closed down.

At Nelson's works to-day, the men are taking matters in more easy fashion than yesterday. All the sheep have been turned away except three or f nir hundred lambs, with which twenty butchers are dealing with at the rate of

one an hour per man. At this speed their lambs on hand should be finished in a couple of days, when there will be no more work, and the men will cease work automatically. Nelson Bros, have perforce dispersed 70 or 80 of their employees who were dependent on the work of the butchers, leaving only a few to deal with the trilling number of sheep killed. The situation in regard to the freez-

ing works trouble is unchanged. It is reported that the butchers at Nelson Bros.' works intend to diminish the number killed each day, though the monotony of the tactics is admittedly

(incoming very tiresome. The Gis.

borne Sheep Farmers' Co. have convened a meeting of sheep farmers for Saturday afternoon and issue a notice requesting that all persons, whether skilled slaughtermen or not, prepared to accept employment as butchers at the company's works, to communicate with the manager. The following letter, in reply to one slating that the

men were determined to adhere to the stand taken without the Union being brought into the matter, was sent to the Slaughtermen's secretary: "The factory will rc-open on Monday next Any men previously on the board can send in their names before 12 o'clock on Saturday, After Saturday at 12 o'clock, no man who was on the board on Monday last will be permitted to rejoin, but the case of any local resident, a married man, who subsequently applies, will be dealt with on its merits. Hates of pay are award rates, to be modified retrospectively in accordance witth any subsequent award of the Arbitration Court. CliEisTciiuitcii, February 27. The men are still out, though it is belieyed a settlement is in view. The Slaughtermen's Union for the first time

since Ike trouble arose are now taking a part, and its officers waited on the manager of the Canterbury Company. The officers of the Union informed a reporter that they hoped for a settlement in a few days. The deputation explained that there was dissention among tho executive officers of the Union, and some had resigned. A special meeting is to bo called to lill the vacancies. They assured the corn-

pany that tho Union were anxious to bring about a settlement. The company's terms will be submitted to the Union at a meeting to be called at once.

The Labour Department intend to institute proceedings against the men implicated in the slaughtermen's strike at Islington and Belfast, and the Arbitration Court will sit on Monday to hear tile cases. A meeting of 'the Slaughtermen's Union is to be held three days hence.

Auckland, February 27. A meeting of the officers of the newly-formed Auckland Slaughtermen's Union was held last night for the purpose of considering matters in connection with their calling. A log providing for increases in the killing rates and the readjustment of the hours of labour, etc., was arranged for presentation to 'the employers, subject to the log being approved q;t a general meeting of the members of the Union, which will be held on Saturday evening. Details of the demand arc not available for publication at present. The members of the Auckland Union have expressed a desire to retain the services of Mr i<\ 11. Bush, who organised the Auckland Union, as permanent secretary of the Auckland Union. Mr liush, however, has not replied to the request so far. Mr Bush desires it to be stated that the Auckland slaughtermen have never worked under an award, as has been stated, and that hitherto they have had no union of their own.

Napieb, February 27 Two of the slaughtermen of the North British and Hmvke's Bay Freezing Company have gone out to-day, but so far none of the others have done so. The demand of the two were pratically the same as (hose in other places.

Wei,iin«tox, February 27 The Acting-Premier, Hon .Mr HallJones, in reply to a telegram from Mr Didatour, managing director of the Gisboruc Sheep Farmers' Company, suggesting the advisability of the Government arranging for the immediate despatch from England or the Cape of a hundred butchers as assisted immigrants, tolegraphcd as follows "In reply to your telegram which reached ine this morning, I am of opinion that proceedings now pending before the Arbitration Court will supply (ho remedy' and meet the difficulty you refer to."

EESU.LT OF THE STXUKIr

; Gisboruc, February 27. Owing to the strike, the llangit'ra, now loading for London, will take 12,000 instead of 10,000 carcases of sheep.

ARBITRATION COUKT JUDGMENT

Tinmru, February 27,

The Arbitration Court delivered judgment ill the slaughtermen's assistant eases at the l'areora Freezing Works. The Corut found the men guilty of taking part in a strike, and lined each £5.

Tn the course of lus judgment, Mr .Justice Sim said the evidence proved that the defendants were working under an award made by the Court on Juno 20th, 1905, which embodied an agreement arrived at by the parties themselves- after the dispute had been referred to the Court. Counsel for the defendants had not suggested that his clients had not been guilty of taking part in a striks. The Court agreed with Mr Raymond's argument to the extent that if all parties to a dispute come to an agreement which they embody in an industrial agreement, completed and filed m accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Court, apart from Section 11 of the Amending Act, 1005, would not -have power to make an award, but that was not so m the present ease. Here tl o parties agro mV to certain terms, which were to be embodied in an award of the Court, and until this award was made there had been no effectual settlement of (he dispute, In making the award as il. did, the Court was exercising its ju>j<diction for the settlement and ("eierimnation of an industrial dispute. The Act had male " striking" punishable as au offence in all eases where an aw n-d i r industrial agreement is in free, and' 1 defondants were therefore guilty ofl taking part in a strike.

The Crown l'risceutor nsk -.1 ih I liufines he made payable l-> the tin -, Imt Mr Raymond, for defen InnN, ol.im-i.-.1, contending that the Court nu.-t make the fines payable to some party to the proceedings, such as an Inspei-to", The fines were rnly recov,ruble as civil debts. Mr White s.-ud if they wre made payable tl the King thev could bo recovered under the Cro ni intitulesAet, 1881. His Honor said the Court. was not satisfied that there wns pow -r to make the fines payable to the King,, and they are to be made payable to j the Inspector, I