THE MEAT STRIKE.;

Dominion, 24 February 1913, Page 5

THE MEAT STRIKE.;

MEN PAID OFF AT PETONE,

TOO SLOW ON "TALLY." T The fact that slaughtermen belonging to the" old unions succeeded in mingling with tho frco labourers on the board of the local meat export companies ,' iaud those of other companies in the N.ii-lh Island does not seem to have had any material effect on tho general position. Mr. W. ,G.! Foster, of tho "NV«lliiiittoii Meat Export Company, when he wns : . interviewed on Saturday, made the following statement:— , ■ ... ; "We are. quite satisfied, notwithstanding all that has appeared in rlw papers, that we are perfectly well nble to carry out our working operations slowly but surely, and our men- are all the time improving. Wo feel sure of ultimate sults." ,i' . Asked whether the companies felt confident'of their ability to protect their freo labourers, Mr. Foster replied: "Tes, the companies feel that it,is their duty to stand by tho men i already on the. boards, and unhesitatingly 1 say that this will be dbne," To another question, Sir. Foster ; replied that the companies had Riven;'no guarantee to employ men indefinitely at 15s. a day. They had raid that lihcy would give men 15s, a day until they could make more on fallv, bnt it had been clearly understood all the time that the companies would determine when' a man should go upon tally. i 'Varying reports are current as to the number of slaughtermen paid off from the Gear Company's works utPeloue; on Saturday. From on® sourco it was gathered that 16 m,en were paid off and that two others elected to leave with theni'.' Another report states that 23 slaughtermen were put off on Saturday. They were, paid «t the rate of 153. a day : for killing 96. Instead, they did 48. Their plnecs will be filled to-ddy. j Mr. M. J. Reunion, secretary o! tho Slaughtermen's Federation, informed o reporter last evening that, twenty-two, slaughtermen left the Gear Company s board on Saturday, all but a few ,-of vrhomiwcre paid off. The men paid off, Mr. Reortlon stated, ' had been working at, the rate of 15s. per day os, learners. They ":ere nicked put, he continued, put on tally.given an end of the hoard to themselves, and Md to each do twelve sTicep.pT hour. They did six per hour, twentv-fivo' for tho half-day. 'In '. Mr. Rqardon's words, "the boss told them to co tin to the offiee <ind wt tlf°lr. peiv.' Mr. Reunion further stated that ~th» men dismissed were doing .the-' Vet "tally" n'a the Ve.rd, and. beating "the other Mlijws." both in quality and ntiiantity. He/considers that'tho action of- Jho eoiiipanv - was: extraordinary, consldoimg the quality of the work that-the men v/m d<nn<r. It was to their own loss, bo added, that they restricted themselves] Ia■ six sheep' per hour,- because ' this would broi'.fbt. them only 13s, 9rt. per : dav, Some of tho. slaughtermen manage;' t« extract's, certain amount of amusement Iron the trouble in which theyi 'pre, enmeshed:. One who aphlied ■ f«r n job *> 'ft learner stated" he''W'justii cohi* lm*k with the Sett exn"dWon. and llnd planned most. rf-Hie s'ats for his party, Another'.'wprrml tVt '"> had I'Cen hiind butcher for Wirth's ', Circus; for some years. ,'' '■■ '.'. ,- ■" FREE LABOUn CONQUERING., ;! ';'•'.'-. ITS OUTPUT AND SKILL".,'.::,;, (By. Telejrraph.-Prcss Association.) ■■.'.'.-.' Christchurch, February 23. From the point of view of tho Canterbury Freezing .Companies matters are eatisfactorv despite tho fact that the sloughtermen's strike has hot been declared dff. This week it is expected, both at Islington and at Smithfleld, that tho outilnt will reach four .fißur.es pemhw \m\i\ that the pressure of harvest work is ovbr, and that grass seeding is practically llnished applications from a suitable, typo of workers aro coming in. much more freely than was (he case when slaughtering operations started ten days ago. Indotd, the amount of labour offering is such that the companies are not under ( tho necessity for engaging any but those who i)T>pcar likely to prove efficient workers.} After having received eomo instruction the quality or tho work'being dono by the men at present manning the boards is giving satisfaction, nnd comperes 'favourably with tho standard .reached by experts in recent years. In i View of the lkmbcr of men at present on'the lxiards at Islington and of tho rate at which .duplications'aro coming- in, it,will-be only, a matter of a few days before the bbaiids will Ik quite full. ■'. : , ■■, - ;!.■ The learners employed by the companies, it is understood, are making' such excellent 'progress that already a lai'ge proportion of them, are: being paid t|it> piece-work rate as they have proved'themselves capablo of earning more than the guaranteed maximum of 10s. per day.,j ON THE BELFAST BOARDS, j > (By Telograph.-ProEo Association.) ;j i Christchurch, February 22. There are thirty-five free slaughtermen on the board at Belfast. It is understood a meeting of the union will be held tonight to discuss tho question of accepting tho 275. Gd. offered' by the companies. The unionists state they, arc willing to accent tho rnto provided tho freo workers cire dismissed. Tho, companies declino '/to adopt this course', . .'"'-.''