SLAUGHTERMEN'S. STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 295, 6 May 1913, Page 5

SLAUGHTERMEN'S. STRIKE.

THE COMPANY'S' VERSION. By Telegraph—Pi;ess Association.:, • : . ; Christchurch, last night. The manager of the Christchurch Meat ■Company, sean to-day in connection witli the.trouble that has occurred at the Company's Smithfield works, statedthat the position is practically this:— "After the strike two months ago. when the boards were in process of being filled up by fresli men. some of the old men presented themselves for rc-cngagement. We simply selected some'of those men, fillin« up the vacancies remaining. The position at Smithfielll lately was that we had IS to 20 learners, with .40 old union men. These men were em.ploved individually,' under no award. A dispute occurred the other day with a free labourer and 46 men went out in a ;-.b'ody. declining to work. This man ; was dismissed, We said that we would j, hold an inquiry if they went back to %ork. They would not go back, and there is the end of it. We are taking steps to fill their places, and to-day we have had enough applications to fill all the hooks. The old union men have been paid off. Timaru, Last night. ' ,On Saturday seventeen learners—some now fairly expert—remained at the work at Smithfield. This morning eight of these joined the strikers, but a number of fresh hands were taken on, and over thirty are at the works to-day and more are expected during the week. The striker.) had pickets explaining to the new men their case. Work proceeded as usual at Pareroa. Mr. P: C. Webb (President of the Federation) arrived this afternoon and met the strikers, and later a deputation, interviewed the local managers, but what happened has not transpired. Mr. Webb told a reporter that he hoped there would be an early settlement, but so far the Federation has not effected this. One of the strikers stated that there was no Other cause whatever for the strike, except that the company would not discharge the' man who (as three men had threatened to use a revolver. This man denied even owning a revolver, and' the police inquiry failed to make out a case. .