THE SLAUGHTERMEN.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14563, 14 January 1913, Page 7

THE SLAUGHTERMEN.

ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE

QUESTION

"FARMERS SYMPATHISE WITH MEN."

(PKESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMS.)

WELLINGTON, January 13

A well-known local farmer, in an interview, said that the farmers in this district worn by no nutans unanimous on the question of manning the board*, in the event of a strike of the sin lightermen. Ho said that it would not. only provoke-a needless quarrel with tht> men, but tho fanners could uot dress tho sheep sufficiently ■well to satisfy tho London market. Further, to refuse the increase asked for, which only amounted to a little over a halfpenny per head, meant that the farmers would lose* al] they stood to mnko, while to give it would still leave them a fair profit. '"Apart from the business aspect, however." ho continued, "you can take it from me that tiio majority of tho farmers sympathise villi tho men. Slaughtering is a rotten job, and should bo woll paid. Tho eompan.ew that stand between the fanners and tho slaughtermen take it out of both, and tho real grievance of both is against tho companies, and the majority of tho farmers aro not going to answer the call to man the boards." PALMEKSTON N., January 13. Fears of a slaughtermen's strike aro deterring farmers from buying stock, owiiic: to the possibility of their being unable to quit them when they are fat. Tho present lifelessness of the market is attributed partly to this and partly to -tlie backward state of tho rapo crops. While the farmers realise the importance of refraining from defying tho workers find precipitating trouble, tho general feeling is that if these demands aro going to be nn annual affair, it would bo better to fight now and hnvo it over. TIMARU. January 13. There is a good deal of talk about what will happen at the freezing works when tin; men's notice expires on tho 17th inst., but no information is available rer;nrdina tho men's or tho companies' intentions. It is stated that it would be impossible for the fanners to fill the bonrds, all hands being needed for harvest work.

A committee of the Canterbury » e .hcopowners' T'nion met yostordav aftwionn to discuss- the situation which triiiht he ocoasioTiod by a. strike of slaughtermen. The meeting- was not, onrn to tho Press. After two hours , drliborntion the meeting adjourned until Monday next.