THE SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8361, 18 February 1907, Page 5

THE SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS. The slaughtermen's strike in Wellington is still in progress, and there is apparently little chance of settlement. It may be as well to explain here that the two companies concerned—the Gear Meat Company and the Wellington Meat Export Company—have taken slightly divergent lines. Suggestions for concession have been made by the former, but these, as already reported, have been declined. We are informed, says the Post, that on Friday afternoon Mr W. G. Foster (chairman of directors of the Meat Export Company), Mr W. C. Buchanan (another director), and Mr Gully himself, waitedjjon the Minister for Labour, and indicated that no separate proceedings would be taken by the company in enforcing the law, so far as the conduct of the men was concerned, but that it would offer any assistance it could give the Minister in compelling and promoting due administration of the Act. We understand that the position taken np by the Wellington Meat Export Company—and the one they have consistently adhered to throughout —is that the proper course to pursue is to make application for an amendment of the existing industrial agreement. The company indicated to the men some days ago that they were perfectly willing to facilitate any application for amendments of the industrial agreement and further expressly intimated that ( the company, in the event of the Conciliation Board ordering an increase of rates, would relate back such increase to the day on which the men ceased work. If the strike continues much longer it will go hard with the stock. It is reported that several sheep have already died for want of pasture. The branches of the Farmers* Union throughout the colony are being communicated with, through the, general secretary, asking their opinions of the Arbitration Act, particularly in its relations to the present strike and the developments which have taken place.

THE STRIKE SPREADING. By Telegraph—Press Association. TIMARU, February 15. A strong feeling of regret was aroused in town, this morning; at the news that a strike of hands at the Canterbury Meat Company's Pareora works had caused a complete stoppage of operations there. The regret was plainly, of course, on account of sympathy with sheep owners, who just now desire, and require, to get their fat or half fat lambs into the safekeeping of the refrigerator before they deteriorate through failing feed. Stock is being rushed to the freezing works as fast or faster than it can be dealt with, and there are now several thousands delivered at Pareora, and requiring artificial feed to keep them going. Fortunately, there is abundance of water on the place, which is something for owners to be thankful for.

The works were in full swing, and the stoppage means a loss to all parties. Enquiries made at the company's office in town show that about thirty hands employed as slaughtermen's assistants in handling and dealing with the offal, etc., gaye notice on Wednesday that they would not work more than eight hours per day unless they were paid time and a half rates for all work over eight hours. (The assistants, it may be mentioned, have to work longer thaq the slaughtermen, as it takes them about an hour to clean up after the day's killing). The management declined to accede to the demand, and on Thursday the assistants knocked off when, having started at 7 a.m., they had worked eight hours. This morning the butchers went to work, but the assistants . not turning up, killing had to be stopped at 10 a.m. The consequence is that, unless a settlement is arrived at, the rest of the staff, over 200 in all, will be helpless, and after about 24 hours, when the step-by step processes for meat and offal have been completed, the whole of the works will be at a standstill. TIMARU, February 16. Owing to the strike among the slaughtermen's assistants at the Canterbury Meat Works at Pareora, the works were closed down to-day. Eight thousand sheep, in the paddocks waiting to be slaughtered, are being fed with hay. The following telegram was received on Saturday by Mr G. R. Sykes, Secretary of the Masterton branch of the Farmers' Union, from Mr J. G. Wilson, President of the Union: —"The meat companies, Wellington, appeal to branches to send volunteer butchers from each district to cope with the unfortunate strike, which gravely affects every industry in the colony. Volunteers are assured of ample protection if needed." No meeting of the Masterton branch of the Union has yet been held to consider what steps should be taken in the matter.