SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 232, 19 February 1913, Page 8

SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

EXDUrs l'!;u.u WAiTARA. DKNTI NATION A'.MVSI'KIiV. N'J'lll KI-: KUISSAUVS ItJifjEPTJON. Soine ten or a dozen of the butchers who had been iu the employ of Messrs. Borthwick and Sons, at \Vaitara, left there yesterday morning, as no agreement had been arrived at in reference to their resuming' work, but their actual destination is soi.icwhat of a mystery. It appears that some advances were made to the firm, which evidently did not meet with the reception hoped for by the men, and the result has been that tie men have left. It was stated thai the men were going to Aiasterton, where" plenty of work was offering at the increased rates, whilst other statements are to the effect that llawcra or somewhere in that vicinity, is the destination, and the work is that of road or stone contracting. To add to the mystery, tickets were taken only for Lepperton Junction) the idea no doubt being to obtain further tickets for the rest of the journey from that place; but why all the mystery, no one seems to know. No doubt the men think that they have reason for the idea. it is further stated that during last week an emissary of the strikers obtained work for some few days, under the pretence that he was not a striker, but this is not confirmed, being a report iu the river town. It is also said that some umbrage was taken over the fact that a man who had not been in the company's employ had been taken on as a butcher, and words and actions not usually met with were used to him on Monday night, some good ale being used in the operation of reviling him. The man is an ex-butcher, but has not worked at the trade for some years. Xo doubt the mystery of the exit will be cleared up in the course of a few davs.

FULL BOARD AT PATEA. There is now a full board of slaughtermen at the local works (says the Patea Press), and plenty of labor offering, applications for places on the board continuing to come in. Everything is going smoothly and well, and the works should be working up to normal pressure shortly.