THE SLAUGHTERMEN

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 3 December 1912, Page 5

THE SLAUGHTERMEN

A WORKER'S OPINION. Mr F. R. Bust, ex-seerotary of the Auckland Slaughterman's Union, writes as follows to the Auckland Star: "f regret to see rumours from Wellington that the slaughtermen there desire to cancel registration, and demand higher rates for slaughtering, in connection with which I "rave your indulgence for space to submit to the. Dominion slaughtermen the following points for consideration, viz.: (1) Slaughtermen with any claim to the title can, and do, eanovages that H'iiny business men would very willingly exchange for their return. And any man killing and dressing sheep at 2os per 100. who cannot earn considerably more tlwn 70 per cent, of what other tradesman in the Dominion get should cut off his leggings and go navvying; (?) that the ni'Mit export trade of the Dominion is destined to decrease considerably. Largo estates are being cat up into smaller. holdings for dairying pursuits, and dairy produce is to a largo ex'.eut taking the place of froze:i, chilled, ard preserved meat in our exports; <3) i 15 per cent.' increase in slaughtering rates means a terrible handicap to exporters, and a very great advantage to the Argentine and other competitors with New Zealand's export trade, amounting to injustice and ingratitude that may kill the industry; (4) that, in any case, less

capital must, of necessity, ho invented - /in our meat export trade, as more .-land is devoted to dairying pursuits, and less to stock raising, while the increased local consumption of our annual food supplies, with increasing population., further diminishes the srapplies for export; (5) if the cost of slaughtering is increased, the increase . must inevitably he tacked on to the ultimate cost of tho product, and increase the -already high prices of our meat supplies to the entire community, which cannot be expected to secure to the slaughtermen the public sympathy and support «o necessary to bring Labour disputes* to a successful issue. Therefore, slaughtermen, l>o satisfied with a good thing, and endeavour to secure finality a.nd security. Aillow no militant members to lead you into falso positions, wliei<ein your last atate may ho wot-so than your first. I hope bettor counsels will prevent slaughtermen from killing their own good prospects, and will cause them to look below tha surface, and realise the benefits of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act."