SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 235, 22 February 1913, Page 5

SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

j'osrnn.v at wancanci . Wanganui, Kriday. Tin! local free/jug comp i.ny now '.>■'.(' over HO men on (lie killing boards, nnd (In l daily liilly is -,l,l'jidily improving. Over I w I'iilv oilier applicants arc available. The Makarini has just completed loiirlin-r 1.1.00n carcases, in addition to wool, tallow, etc. lIKISUTTAL FOR Ml;. ItKAIiDON.

I'almei'stoii. Thursday, hi reference to a slalement to the Wellington press by Mr. .'I. lieardon (secretary of the .Slaughtermen's Cnion) regarding an agreement arrived at between tile butchers at the Longbuni Freezing Works and Messrs. Wilson and Canham (of Auckland), to slaughter a line of bulls for 4s a head, which was 100 per cent, higher than the Wellington killers were receiving under the last award, a, local business man slates that no such thing as an offer of 4s per head was made by Messrs. Wilson and ('aiiham. The firm telegraphed from Auckland to Palmerston to ascertain upon what terms butchers could be induced to kill a line of bulls, and a reply was sent that local butchers were wiling to kill at 4s per- head, provided they got permission from the union.: -Messrs. Wilson and Canham's reply to this was that negotiations must come through the freezing company, who would only allow the present rate (3s per head) to he charged. This price was accepted by the butchers after getting the necessary permit from Welington. Mr. 'Reardon's statement, that a 100 per cent, rise had been offered was not correct, and this is explained by the fact that Longbuni always paid 3s per head for slaughtering bulls, as against, 2s and 2s (id paid elsewhere. Tt would therefore be seen that, even if the offer of 4s per head had been accepted by Messrs Wilson and Canham, it would only have been a rise of 33 I -3rd per cent, over the old priije. As this offer was never accepted, Mr. lieardon was quite wrong in stating that such an agreement had been entered into.