FREEZING INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 February 1918, Page 2

FREEZING INDUSTRY.

j PECULIAR POSITION REVEALED .... ' Wanganui. Feb. ('■ . A peeuiiar position in regard to the freezing industry was revealed at the ■ sitting of . the Military Service Board, to-day. A man named Bertram James Prosser appealed aganst being called up on ,the ground that he was an Expert slaughterman, and slaughtering had been declared an essential .industry Appellant stated that he was formerly engaged at the Castleclifl works. He took part in the stnike of 1913, subse-' quently joining a new union and resuming work. Howevei, he had been compelled to leave work fifteen months ago, because other men refused to work with him The companies all over New Zealand were willing to give him work, but the employees took the stand that if any company employed him they would have to take the consequences. He Was an expert slaughterman, and had spent £3OO in fifteen majrbhs looking foi work. ■ , . Captain Walker' said the position wa.s. most. peculiar. Appellant was asking for exemption as an expert in an essential industry, but he was not engaged in it. If his statement was correct, the action of the slaughtermen, was an OBt-. rage. The case was one of blackmail„ The military authorities did not object to the exemption of expert slaughtermen, but if an expert was to be keni'. out of work by other men, what would be the use of exempting tliein? Such action on the part- of slaughtermen would lead to the country soon beiiig in the position that there would not: be sufficient slaughtermen to carry on 'the industry. Mr. McLaren said the board should,report to the Government, that the whole matter should be gone into by a tribunnal as the position ot th> industry was. most -unsatisfactory. His opinion was' that there was one continuous feud between different factions, with faults on both sides. The. hoard adjourned the cast i ' ivder to make further inquiries.