WESTFIELD ACCIDENT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 203, 25 May 1944, Page 4

WESTFIELD ACCIDENT

Beef Slaughtermen Stop Work CONDITIONS ALLEGED TO BE UNSAFE (By Telegraph.—Press Association.! AUCKLAND. May 24. Following an accident to a worker in the cattle knocking pit at Westfield freezing works today, beef butchers and their assistants, numbering about SB, ceased work and operations on the slaughtering floor were suspended for the rest of the day. They alleged that working conditions in the pit were unsafe and also demanded an increase in wages for a few men employed in it. The accident occurred when a stunned steer was being hoisted by tackle from the' pit to the slaughtering floor. The shackles slipped from behind the hind legs of the animal and flew sideways and struck one of the workers heavily in the face, causing considerable cuts and bruises. Work was ceased by all bauds on the beef floor aud a demand ma'lL for inspection of the gear by the Government inspector of machinery. The inspector was called by the management and he made a survey of the tackle in the company of company officials and representatives of the union. The management suggested that work be resumed conditional on the company agreeing to carry out immediately any safeguards and alterations directed by the inspector, but this was not accepted by the men. The accident was of a most unusual nature, said a representative of the firm. While mishaps did occur, they were comparatively few when it was remembered that about 100,000 cattle were passed through the knocking pit in a year. The demand for any increase in wages for the men working in the pit could not be dealt with by the company and would have to be referred to the wages commissioner, Mr. C. L. Hunter, ns he was the authority through which all such claims had to be handled. Other departments of the works were not concerned in the issues and operations continued in them as usual.