THE KILLERS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 18 January 1913, Page 5

THE KILLERS

AND FREEZING COMPANIES

AXOTHER CONFERENCE HELD

THE COMPANIES STAND FIRM

(By Telegraph. —Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Last Night

All the I l, reeling Companies in New Zealand excepting that at Nelson were represented at a conference held here to-day to consider the slaughtermen's demands. The following official statement of the proceedings was furnished by Sir George Clifford, who presided :

"The conference of Freezing Companies Juivo found themselves unable to secede from the liberal oiler already made by them, of a (rise o(f 2s 6d per hundred wvrcases of sheep or lambs. There has been a steady rise since 1906, from 20s per 100, 'and the present rate of 2-f>s per 100 seems to th?- conference to be -an adequate reir.uneration for the worlc performed. Nevertheless, to prevent dislocation of trade, and the cessation of employment for the other 85 pen- cent of their employees, the Companies are willing to meet the demand for increased wage to the slaughtermen to the extent named. The Companies cannot concede the jdemand of the slaughtermen as to the further restriction of learners, which limits the • number of learners to one in proportion to 20 slaughtermen , and to only one suc-h set of learners in each season, and moreover, practically confines to one class of men the supply of such learners. This demand would automatically destroy the industry for all interested in it, whether employers or employed, within a certain period, and is moreover subversive of the freedom of the individual to choose his career in a free country. Neither can the Companies consent to the alteration of what are called the preference conditions. These have hitherto rendered it compulsory upon all slaughtermen to join the SUilightermen's Union, but have also imposed upon the Union the obligation to admit all duly-qualified applicants. The new demands upset this equally-balanced compromise, and cannot be accepted, even in the interests of the workers themselves. There -are further demands as to arrangementof the hours of work, which would dislocate the wliole of the complicated machinery of the larger factories. The stipulation that no slaughtering should commence before 8 a.m. would necessarily drive the work in other departments to a later liour than at present, and cannot be conceded in fairness to .. other workmen, nor in justice to the clients of the Companies. The Companies now renew their former offer of 'an increase of. wage to 27s 6d per 100, and have asked for a definite reply accepting the .. same within seven days, failing which they will consider themselves free to make such oilier arrangements for' carrying on their business as may seem best." v .LETTER TO SLAUGHTERMEN 7 . Tn a letter sent subsequently to Mr Reardon, Secretary of the Slaughtermen's Union, the following resolution of the Conference was conveyed:—

"That the- offer of 27s Od per 100 (plus otlirr modifications or concessions contained in the offer as to the South Tslaiid conditions), ho once moro and finally offered to the slaughtermen. A reply to this offer now made by tlio conference of Freezing Companies, is required within spven days from Friday, Jamiarv 17t1i."

THE SMITHFTKLT) WORKS

TIMARU, Last Night

Mr Hennessy, Secretary of the Smitlrfield Slaughtermen's Union, informed a Post reporter that his Union has given notice to cease working, and will "down tools" on January 29th. Mr Hennessy said he was speaking only for his own Union.

THE WATNGAWA WORKS

NOTTC'E GIVEN* TO CEASE WORK. (

The slaughtermen engaged at the Waingawa freezing works yesterday morning gave formal notice of their intention to cease work on January 3'lst, the date of the expiry of tho award. There are, in twentyfour slaughtermen employed at the local works, and over one hundred other mo>n will be involved if the works should close down. It is not ! yet known whether tho Wellington Farmers' Meat Company will follow ' the example of the ether Companies, and close do mi should the men refuse the offer of 27s Gd per hundred. Tn the meantime the works are very busy, and buying has not beeen suspended on account of the threatened cessation of work. When the news of the decision of tlie freezing companies was conveyed to a worker by an Age representative last night, ho expressed the opinion that tho slaughtermen would stand just as firm a-s the Companies, He [ stated that lie did not think there wa« any cliance of the men giving way on the point of wages, OTHER COMPANIES. /JHRISTCHUROH, Last Night. The. Canterbury slaughtermen gave notice on January Toth of their intention to cease work. Tho notico expires on Jannnrv 29th WAITARA, Last Night. The butchers employed at the Waitara, freezing works gave noticr> to--

day that they would cease work on the 30th inst-.

AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT

BY SOUTHERN OFFICIAL

CHRLSTCHURCH, Last Night.

In an interview to-day, C. Were, Secretary of the Canterbury Slaughtermen's Union, made an important statement in connection with the slaughtermen's dispute. He said: "Formal notice was given on Wednesday, the 14th, of our intention to. ceaso work under Clause 9 of the Act, the principal demand being for 3Qs per 100. That notice expires on Tuesday, the 29th inst., when work will l» stopped unless; our requests are agreed to. The slaughtermen consider that their labour is well worth the price demanded, and that Gd worth of coppers is worth sixpence without taking into consideration the dangers of cuts and poisoning. -Lastyear one, man lost seven weeks' work through blood-poisoning. He was not able to kill again without assistance; but he got lighter employment. Others lost two or three weeks work. Two years ago a man lost the use of his hand permanently, and others had fingers amputated. The men admit they get a bit of compensation,

but they contend that it amounts to very little compared to tho pay in the busy time, because compensation i-i calculated ovw the average of

short days as well as long days.' 'IV I farmers say ..that the slaughtermen can . earn 25s . per day. The men- admit that they do that on somo days; but the 'slaughterman has to live all the year round. Tho Inmost amruuts drawn last year in Canterbury were: Belfast., ,£lif); Islington. £11!; Fairfield. £9O; Smithfiold. <£ll t; Pareora. €llO. These were the highest amounts drawn l>y men fortunate . enough not to receive outs di- bloodpoisoning and so lose time. If these are . the highest amount*, where I does tho average man come .in? At one works alone in -Canterbury there were ten subscription -•• lists pnsssd rmmd to assist those who had lost time through accidents. 10 very slaughterman is liable to these accidents. In addition, the farmers admit that it is anything but pleasant work shut up in a hot slaughter house, especially on a. dnv like Tuesday last. It 'is worth 2ok to stav in there one day like that, without doing 2os worth of work. Tire sea-son lasts about eight months in Canterbury. In the slack time some can get other employment; but the position is this: 1 I Ihe works close down in the very 1 worst time of the year, the end of July or beginning of August, when i the labour market is overflowing with out-of-works. jSomc go to Australia. | but by the time they pay their board there and their passage money, etc., they have to earn about £3o in expenses before they get anything for themselves. If a man i<s unfortunate enough to get cut of poisoning, he does not earn even £3o. So, talking one consideration with another, -the slaughtermen have arrived at tho con- 1 elusion that at least a living wa-cre must be got hero. The Companies get then* dividends in eight months, and the slaughtermen say that they must mako their year's living in the same time. The employers admit that it is the most laborious; work connected with the industry, and they also admit, tho dangers connected therewith by the fact that insurance premiums for slaughtermen are 50 per rent higher than in other occupations. Therefore, the slaughtermen consider their demands fair and reasonable. Some farmers say that this is an annual recurrence and they may as well fight now as any other time. The slaughtermen .say 'we want 30s. and we won't he satisfied until we. get it.' " M WHO SFNT IT? GTSmmXK Las-t Xiixht. A wire received hero by the Slalightermen',s Union from an official labour source states that the AYaingawa i reezing Company (Mastodon) has conceded the -men's demand for 30s. > ( I Irs report, so far as we could ascertain. last night, was unfounded.)