WELLINGTON WORKS TO CLOSE ON MONDAY.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14564, 15 January 1913, Page 10

WELLINGTON WORKS TO CLOSE ON MONDAY.

A STUBBORN" FIGHT ANTICI- ! PATED. (SrErTAL TO "THB PRESS ,, *. WELLINGTON, January 14. The two big moat export companies in Wellington will close down their works ojn Monday. A full supply of sheep is being arranged for this week, but no further orders will be sent out. The men will continue working up to the'timo of the expiry of the notice; then the works will be closed down until an adjustment is effected not on;y between the parties locally, but with those outside who are almost certain to be involved. The ballot being taken by the Unions throughout the Dominion is almost certain to be largely against accepting th« 27a Od offer, and at present thero seems little chance of an immediate settlement. The supply of meat for local consumption is not likely to be interfered with. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TIXEGKAM.) WELLINGTON, January 14. Thero is every likelihood of a stubborn ngat taking place between the s.aughtermen and the meat companies operating at Petone and Ngahauranga, -'J.'ne companies, seeing that the men are determined to cease work on Montiay next, as intimated by the formal notices ,sent in last week, have both decided to close down their works on ilondny. Thus each side has taken up a definite position, and the stoppage m.iy prove to be of conside. able length, as neither men nor companies give any indication or yielding. The wo.ks were very busy up till tonight, |here being full boards employed, land some overtime done, but irom to-day onwards there will be a slackening off, until at the end of the week things will come to a standstill.

The decision of the companies to clo-s© down is regarded by the slaughtermen as a clear indication that-the talk about getting farmers to man the killing boards was really a bluff.