THE TROUBLE AT PAREORA AND SMITHFIELD.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14660, 8 May 1913, Page 7

THE TROUBLE AT PAREORA AND SMITHFIELD.

DELEGATES IN CIIRISTCHITRCH

Representatives from tho Smithfield and Pareora works were in town yesterday. Air P- C. Webb, president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, when asked by a reporter for a statement regarding tho position, said that Iho trouble really did not affect the Federation as yet. It was a fight amongst tho slaughtermen themselves, who wero rot iii tho organisation, and he thought, in those ehcumstances the least ho said tho easier it would bo mended. Tho Timaru waterside workers wero in tho Federation and naturally their sympathies were with the slaughtermen. As far as the Federation was concerned : t was not diroctlv connected wittt the matter yet. "J he Federation was in hope-; that representatives of tho companies and of the slaughtermen would meeK in conlerence and arrive at some ( arrangement whereuniler the tiouMo would bo prevented from spreading, but theso hopes had not boon realised uj« to tho pnsoit. tie was absolutely convinced that tho policy adopted by tho Federation—conferences of the parties interested to discuss tho matters in dispute round the table, in a friendly way, so that a settlement could be arrived at without resort to drastic action —was tho right one. Thero was never anything to bo lost by both parties confarri'jg and in mo it cases thero was a lot to gain. Mr R. Gould, secretary of thoTmwm watersid» workers, sai 1 that he did not feel inclined to say anything bi-cause he benevi-tl that n conterenco w oil id eventuate, and it would bring about a settlamt-nt. If it did not. then tbej would know where they were.