THE SLAUGHTERMEN

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 1 February 1913, Page 5

THE SLAUGHTERMEN

COMPANIES STAND FIRM, FREE LABOUR DECIDED UPON. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Freezing Companies of New Zealand have again definitely refused to accede to the demands made upon them by tho Slaughtermen. The Companies re-offer the terms originally put forward by them, but now submit them for acceptance by men in or op of the Union ranks. These are tho main decisions arrived at by a conference of representatives of Freezing Companies, which was held in Wellington to-day. Tho conference was attended by representatives of every Company in New Zealand, excepting Waingawa (which last week made a new agreement with, the men on its own account) and Nelson (a small concern which only employs three butchers). Sir George Clifford presided, and on behalf of the conference communicated its decisions to representatives of the press at the conclusion of the deliberations. The decision is as follows :-r- ---. "The Freezing Companies, having given full consideration to the demands of the slaughtermen, as put forward by the Wellington Executive, are unable to see any reason for altering their previous determination. By it, the considerable advance of 2s 6d per 100 was offered to the slaughtermen, with, certain minor concessions, which chiefly affected the South Island factories. Tho terms of employment then offered are adhered to, but are now submitted for acceptance to anyone, whether a member of the recentlycancelled Unions or not, and on the basis that the conditions of the last awards, are otherwise retained in practice. It means a weekly'increment of not less than lis Gd. SWrh a rise lias never hitherto occurred in any other trade, nor would t'he recent proposals have emanated from the Companies except that they desired, at any rea sellable sacrifice, to safeguard the ' complicated interests of a national . industry. The consequential cost of admitting the workers' demands would result in a price which the producers cannot be asked to pay, even for assured tranquility, and still less for a tern-' release from eve'r-recurring exactions. The Freezing Companies have desired to arrange (1) A liberal wage for work done; (2) freedom to employ-a sufliciemt number of learners to keep their boards full in future; (3) Such regulations as to hours and methods of work as are consistent with proper management of the factories; (4) The retention of the preference olaus.s, which have been proved by the absence of * past complications to be thoroughly

acceptable to all parties. In making the proposal now before the Slaughtermen, the Companies have had iin view the advantage of all sections of the trade, which constitutes one organised machine for marketing most suitably a chief product of the soil of New Zealand. Each operation must be regarded as a separate act of such a machine, and unless the farmer 5 freezing, fac- - tory, carriers and dealers, with all ; tho workmen in each of these de-: partments, receive their propor-'/ tionate profit, the industry must. suffer, to the universal injury of all ' concerned. As soon, however, as any one fraction of this machine absorbs an "undue proportion of the profit,, the machine will cease to work. Owing to the burden thereby thrown upon its shoulders, it would be unable to bear it. Om this p.inciple, the Companies are bound to defend the producers from an in. equitable expense, the workers from an inequitable."adjustment of paymerits, and themselves the maintenances of their institutions in a fitting condition for their important functions. It has been, calculated that the demands, as formulated, with their consequences, would involve an annual outlay, of not less that £IOO,OOO, the bulk of which sum would ultimately come out of the pockets of tho farming community."

Sir George Clifford also stated that the conditions under which work would be carried out in. both, the, and- South Islands w.iiikl remain same- as .in the. agreements just expired. ,Wlien the decisions; of the confgreapii.' tary of the Slaughtermen's Federation by a pressman this evening, lib was unable to discuss them without full consideration. He hoped later to be able to say something 011 the matter.