SHIPPING SPACE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 139, 12 June 1917, Page 6

SHIPPING SPACE.

CLOSING OF FREEZING WORKS. POSITION OF SLAUGHTERMEN A phase of disorganisation, the outcome of the lack of shipping space, \va; rciiected in the proceedings at the sitting of the First Auckland Military Service Board to-day. The ease of Wm. Bottomley. slaughterman, which had been adjourned conditionally upon his remaining in his present occupation, was reopened. The assistant superintendent of the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company 6aid that slaughtering had stopped owing to there being no shipping space. The works had closed for that reason, and a number of men, who would be employed in a normal season, were thrown out of employment. The works might reopen in September if shipping space was available. Mr. Elliot said it seemed incongruous that the freezing companies were being protected by men being kept back to do the work, yet directly shipping space got short, the companies sacked the men. It seemed rather an absurd position, and one not fair to the country. Mr Pine said he considered that if these firms wanted to keep their staffs they should pay them. It was all very well to say these men could get other work, but the point was that they were kept from active service for a certain essential industry. Mr. Elliot remarked that the freezing companies never made such huge profits as they had been doing during the last few years. Appellant admitted that there were more slaughtermen available now than usual. Major Conlan said he considered the time to be coming when more Second Division men, and younger men, would have to take on slaughtering. The secretary of the Slaughtermen's Union gave evidence, and pointed out that slaughtering was a seasonable occupation, and it was unusually disorganised now by shipping space trouble. To Major Conlan: The union made provision for young men to learn slaughtering. The Board decided that the case involved questions of importance, and adjourned it for full consideration.