The Butchers' Strike

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 210, 5 March 1914, Page 5

The Butchers' Strike

MASTERS" DECISION. LAW TO BE UPHELD. CUVERNMKXT ACTfON IMPERATIVE. *}' Cable-Press Association-Copyright Sydney, March 4. Tlic : .aster butchers formally informed Mr. Holman that the Government's terms „r settlement were unacceptable, and iv.t all negotiations were off for the |.-,,ent so far as they were conecru' ! . The masters have also decided to d.-iT.r-.t'm,... the depots svstem from to-nmrrow and revert to the ordinary •conditions, opening all the shops for the employers' business. It is estimated that 80 per cent, of the shops will be selling meat to-morrow, and the balance in a few days. The employers wiU do their own killing and carting. The employees are invited to apply for reinstatement, the terms to be disclosed on application. In the Assembly, Mr. Wade made a ■strong appeal to the Governed to upkold the Arbitration Act, even to the point ef the prosecution of the strikers who are flouting the law. It was the

Ministry's duty to see the food supply maintained in the public interests. The of the Ministry's inaction and the hollow cry of nationalisation was encouraging the men to break the law •and then, when the employers were tielpless, they told them their business **W'M be seized, thus going back to tiie old bushranging days. Mr. Holman, in reply, said the GoTernment had sworn to uphold the law, and, if need arose, they would do it. Happily no such question had yet arisen, *nd he did not anticipate it would. Up till yesterday the Government had fair ground for believing that a settlement liad been reached, but apparently today they were confronted with the necessity of doing something to restore the supply of an absolutely necessary commodity. If that were so they would face the position immediately and take whatever steps were necessary in the supreme interests of the community. If information of breaches of tho law were forthcoming prosecution would follow. If the masters got on the Government would protect them. The Herald states that it has ascertained unofficially that the Government trump card in the event of the strike continuing is to engage in a modified form of nationalisation. They will not nationalise the whole industry, but provide killers, killing facilities and sale depots for those prepared to undertake the sale and distribution of meat. It is recognised that, the employers in the meat and iron trades having resolved against resumption, excepting on unconditional terms, "a crisis lias been reached and that Government action is imperative. There are 8500 men idle in the iron trades.

A mass meeting of meat industry employees decided to continue the strike [f on the present lines.

SETTLEMENT IX VIEW. SUPPLIES OF FISH. THE DAILY TRAWL FOR SYDNEY. Received 4, 8.40 p.m. Sydney, March 4. It is confidently believed in Ministerial circles that the end of the butchers' strike is in view. Messrs. Holman and Estell further discussed the position with the employers to-day, putting before them a proposal ■alightly less favorable. In the meanwhile the employees have called a mass meeting for to-morrow morning in anticipation of a fresh offer from some of the retail butchers, which indicate the breaking away from the Allied Trades' ■Committee. I So far, no labor is offering in the city shops, the unionists expressing the opinion that any attempt to run shops with non-union labor will fail, as all the competent men are unionists. The public are already tired of the kind of meat sold at the depots. The aspect of the iron trades' strike is more hopeful. The Employees' Defence Committee has arranged a small sub-committee to meet the President of , the Employers' Association, and the action of the men will depend on the result of this meeting. Melbourne, March 4. The Federal Government is considering the question of supplying Sydney with a daily trawl of fish, and an officer was deputed to report on the subject. He consulted Mr. Dannevig, the Federal Fisheries expert, and it is understood, an endeavour will be made to secure a trawler from New Zealand.