Ban lift begins

Press, 21 December 1978, Page 6

Ban lift begins

Southland freezing workers are sldwly abiding by the recommendation of their branch executive and the national executive of the Meat Workers’ Union to lift slaughter bans against the stock of the fanner protest leaders, Messrs O. Buckingham and S. Slee.

Workers at the Alliance works voted to lift the bans at a meeting yesterday, although it is not clear whether they will lift them immediately or wait until the three other works make their decisions.

But it is probably immaterial. Mr Buckingham said last evening that he had already made up his mind that more than 300 weaned lambs would be held oh his farm until the middle of next month.

“It would have been better to have them slaughtered straight after they were weaned last week but I have not drafted them out. I have decided to leave them until the middle of January.” said Mr Buckingham.

He said that 37 old ewes he originally put up for slaughter in October were still on his farm, although he could have had them slaughtered “at any time" through the help of farmer friends. The farmers had also guaranteed he would not lose financially, he said. The works still to vote are Mataura. Ocean Beach, and Makarewa. Finegard and Burnside have already lifted their bans and Canterbury’ will lift its ban when all Southland works lift theirs.

The secretary of the Meat Workers’ Union ('Mr A. J. Kennedy) said last evening that the meetings at the three works which have not voted would be held when it suited the companies and the workers. The works will be open today before closing between Christmas and New Year.

The Dominion president of Federated Farmers (Mr A. F. Wright) welcomed the moves to lift the bans. The way was now clear for all parties to discuss problems in a constructive way, he said.

Mr Buckingham said that the stand taken on the issue showed that farmers were a force to be contended with and that strength could be used again if necessary.

Golf.—Tom Kite, a regular on (the professional golf tour, is the [winner of the 1979 Bob Jones ’award in recognition of his distinguished sportsmanship in golf, ’the United States Goif AssociaI tier, has announced. He won the (award for penalising himself one [shot when his ball moved fractionally while lie was preparing ’to putt during a United States 'tournament.