THE SLAUGHTERMEN

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 13 January 1913, Page 5

THE SLAUGHTERMEN

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS, AN ANXIOUS~PEIUOD. The greatest anxiety prevails in the Wairarapa ooncorning tho probable outcome of the dispute with the slaughtermen of tho Dominion. So far as the Wellington Companies are concerned, there is every indication \of a cessation of work. The rosu;t of the ballot of the men on tho question of accepting or rejecting the offer of 27s 6d per hundred which was made by tho Companies ha« not yet been made known. It is understood, however, that it is against aoeeptai.re. The awards expire on the 17th inst., and unless the Companies open fresh negotiations, the men will probably, ! cease work on that date, or thereabouts, as they haA-e given notice of their intention to do. In the meantime, the buyers for the Wellington Meat Export Company and tho Gear Company have been instructed to cease buying. The Wellington farmers' Meat Company, which controls" the Waingawa works, is on a some- : what different footing. Although tho same demands haA'o been ma tie upon ( it as upon the other Companies, its i award does not expire until the 31st i inst., or a fortnight after the Wellington awards'. Up till date, no notice has been served upon the Directors of the intention of the men to i eea«e work. The buyers of LHs ComI pany are continuing their operations, land large drafts are now on the road to the works. It is not improbable ( that should the negotiations on the part of the ioint Companies fail, as they seem likely to do, the Wellington Fanners' Meat Company will open, negotiations with the Union representative on its own account. Although. a resolution was nassed at the oon- , ferenoe of v freezing companies in , Christehurcn, that the wholo nf Lho companies should take joint -"tie--*!, ,the Wellington Farmers' M>; ,' Company Avas not renresented that j Conference, arid it has refus'*':. to endorse the resolution. It is, thereto! e, free to open negotiations on its oavh behalf.

THE GISBORNE FARMERS

URGING THE COMPANIES TO RESIST. '(By Telegraph.-—Press Association.)' GISBORNE, Last Night. ' The sheep-farmers of this district are prepared to assist, the - freezing companies of Gisborne and Tokomaru in any manner considered practicable to resist tlie demands of the slaughtermen. This fact was announced! last evening by Mr Richard Sherratt, who yesterday presided over a meeting of seventy sheep-farmers, convened to consider their position with regard to the slaughtermen's dispute. The following resolutions were carried unanimously: "That in the opinion of this meeting, as any increase in expenditure on the part of the freezing, companies will fall -upon the producers, the demands of the slaughtermen to increase the rate to 30s per hundred and to impose vexations conditions upon the freezing companies 'should be resented" ; "that in the event of a strike taking place, tho farmers recommend the freezing companies at Gisborne and Tokomaru to rely on volunteer labou» and this meeting undertakes th,.it'all those in attendance will ii;,lividually use every effort to supply suitable labour as it may be required." Mr Sherratt states that in the event, of a strike, the sheep-farmers are . prepared to find sufficient free labour to man the boards, and should the employment of free labour at the boards 'vw an extension of such a *trike to tho wharves or clsewhe-v, they are nlso r>ropared to spa tlwr meat s-afolv srn'rjped. All the farmers present also indicated their willingness to bold their stock in case of need.