SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 217, 1 February 1913, Page 5

SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

WORK STOPPED AT WANGAXUF. Per Press Association. Wanganui. Friday. The slaughtermen at 'the local Meat Freezing Company, whose agreement expired to-day, having finished the stock on hand, ceased work at midday, gathering up their belongings quietly and leaving the works. The local slaughtermen have agreed to kill all the stock required for local consumption. HASTINGS WORKS TO GO OUT. Hastings Last Night. The notice given by the slaughtermen at Tomana and Pakipaki freezing works of their intention to cease work unless their demands were acceded to, expired to-day. About 3300 sheep were killed at the Tomana works, leaving the yards empty when the men finished killing just on the stroke of 3 o'clock this afternoon. There was e.o demonstration of any kind, and after gathering up their knives and sharpening-stones they walked off the premises quietly, as if nothing had happened. Interviewed by a Tribune reporter, Air. W. Nelson, managing director for Messrs. Nelson Bros., Ltd., said that the offer of 27s Od per 100 sheep was still open, but would not be exceeded. There would be. no killing to-morrow, but he expected to start slaughtering again either on Tuesday or Wednesday. Anticipating the stoppage of work to-dav. ,the management at Pakipaki did not re-stock the pens, and the men finished off last night, giving a mild eheer as they left the works. Notices are still posted that the boards are open for any who like to take engagements at 27s fid. under the same conditions as provided in the award. The works were cleaned down to-day, and everything will be in readiness for resuming slaughtering when a sufficient number of men show their willingness to, turn to. He added: <r We do not anticipate much trouble in obtaining men-to man the boards, and even if difficulty is experienced we will still do it; and when the works re-open it will be only on the basis of free labor. If a sufficient number of oar old hands do not apply for work tomorrow we shall be open to receive applications on Monday morning from outside butchers until our board is full."

THE POSITION AT WAITABA. The slang]) term en employed at Messrs. Borthwick & Son's freezing works at Waitara yesterday ceased work immediately after cutting out at about 4 p.m. The works will therefore be closed pending the settlement of the dispute. GISBORNE ON STRIKE. Gisborne, Last Night. At Nelson Bros.' Taruheru works, the Gisborne Farmers' Company's works at Kaiti, and the Tokomaru Sheep-farmers' Meat Company, Ltd., all the men ceased work to-day, their arrangements having expired. Seventy slaughtermen in all are affected.

AN ABORTIVE CONFERENCE. THE COMPANIES' FIRM STAND. Wellington, Last Night. The freezing companies of New Zealand have again definitely refused to accede to the demands made upon them by the slaughtermen. The companies re-offer the terms originally put forward by them, but now submit them for acceptance by any men in or out of the union ranks. These are the main decisions arrived at by a conference of representatives of freezing companies which was held in Wellington to-day. The conference was attended by representatives of every company in New Zealand save Waingawa, which last week made a new agreement with the men on its own account, and Nelson, a small concern which only employs three butchers. Sir George Clifford presided, and on behalf of the conference communicated its decisions to the representatives of the press at the conclusion of its deliberations. "The freezing companies," he said, "having given full consideration to the - demands of the slaughtermen as put forward by the Wellington executive, are unable to see any reason for altering their previous determination. By it the considerable, advance of 2s 6d "per 100 was offered to the slaughtermen, with certain minor concessions which chiefly affected the South Island factories. The terms of employment then offered are adhered to, but are now submitted for acceptance to anyone, whether a member of a recently-cancelled union or not, and on the basis that the conditions of the last awards are otherwise retained. In practice it means a weekly increase of not less than lis 6d. Such a rise has never hitherto occurred in any other trade, nor would their recent proposals have emanated from the companies except that they desired at any reasonable sacrifice to safeguard the complicated interests of a national industry. The consequential cost of admitting the workers' demands would result in a price which the producers cannot be asked to pay. even for assured, tranquillity, and still less for a temporary release from ever-renewing exactions. The freezing companies have desired to arrange: (1) A liberal wage for work done; (2) freedom to employ a sufficient number of learners to keep their boards full in future; (3) such regulations as to hours and methods of work as are consistent with the proper management of factories; (4) the retention of the preference clauses, which have been proved by the absence of past complications to be thoroughly acceptable to all parties. In making the proposal now before the slaughtermen the companies have had in view the advantage of all sections of the trade, which constitutes one organised machine, for marketing most suitably a chief product of the soil of New Zealand. Each operation must be regarded as a separate act of such a machine, and unless tlte farmer, freezing factory, carriers and dealers, with all the workmen in each of these departments, receive their proportionate profit the industry must suffer to the universal injury of all concerned. As soon, however, as"any one fraction of this machine absorbs an undue proportion of profit, the, machine will cease to work, owing to the burden thereby thrown upon shoulders unable to bear it. On this principle the companies are hound to defend producers from an inequitable expense, the, workers from an inequitable adjustment of payments, and themselves from an expenditure which would prohibit the maintenance of their institutions in a fitting condition for their important functions! It has been calculated that the demands as formulated, with their consequences! would involve an annual outlay of not less than £IOO.OOO. the bulk of which sum would ultimately come out of the 1 pockets of the farming community" ; Sir George Clifford also stated that tin; conditions under which work would; he earned on i„ both the North a"nd South Islands would remain practically the same as m Hie agreements just expired. When Ihe decisions of the conference were communicated to the secretary of tne Slaughtermen's Federation by a messman this evening. |, P wns I]naWp to discuss t.lumi without full consideration. He hoped later to be able to say something on the matter.