STAY-IN STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 113, 6 February 1937, Page 10

STAY-IN STRIKE

Government’s Action Criticised PROTEST BY FARMERS Discriminatory Attitude Alleged By Telegraph—Press Association. Hamilton, February 5. Strong criticism of the Government regarding its alleged discrimination between workers and dairy-farmers was voiced at meetings of committeemen representing suppliers of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company throughout the Waikato at. Hamilton yesterday. The following motions were carried unanimously:—

“That, in view of the threat to the interests of all primary producers created by the action of the freezing workers in flouting an Arbitration Court award, and illegally occupying the freezing works, and the failure of the Government to enforce the award and their subsequent action in allowing the decision of the court to be set aside and the men’s demand conceded, we urge that steps be taken without delay to convene a small conference representative of the whole of the primary producers to consider what steps should be taken should such an emergency again arise, and that the Dominion executive of the Farmers’ Union be asked to convene such a conference.”

“That we desire to draw attention to the discriminating attitude of the Government with respect to the interests of primary producers, as revealed by their willingness to override Arbitration Court awards where workers’ interests are concerned while definitely refusing to review the guaranteed price, although costs of production have advanced considerably since the price was decided upon. We object to such an attitude, particularly in view of the fact that, while the freezing workers were parties to the award and had a full opportunity to bring evidence to support their case, dairy-farmers were neither consulted in the fixation of the guaranteed price nor were parties to the decision arrived at.”