EXPORT KILLING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20431, 16 December 1940, Page 6

EXPORT KILLING

WORK TROUGH SATURDAY UNUSUAL PRESSURE APPEAL BY COMPANY The killing floor at the Kaiti freezing works was busy throughout Saturday for the first time in many years as a result of an unprecedented demand for the preparation of export meat, the Gisborne District Man-Power Committee was informed to-day. when dealing with further appeals by or on behalf of reservists drawn in the second territorial ballot. Three employees of the Gisborne Refrigerating Company, W. Magnusson, H. Plowman and F. Olsen, were appealed for by the company on the grounds of public interest and undue hardship. Magnusson and Plowman were described as slaughtermen, engaged in full-time killing of export stock, and the manager of the company, Mr. F. Tolerton, stated that pressure of work was now so great that killing had continued throughout Saturday, for the first time in his experience in Gisborne. There was no prospect of the pressure relaxing for some time. The third reservist, Olsen, was a weigh-clerk, and was an essential man in the works organisation.

Mr. Tolerton stated that of 62 employees on the killing floor, over one-half were of military age.

The appeals were stood down for re-hearing in March, the committee intimating that it would review the conditions at that time. One-Man Farming Venture Appealing on the grounds of undue hardship and public interest, Philip Percival, dairy-farmer, Kaitaratahi, said he was 43 years of age and was married last May. He had been farming since 1932, and now had 104 acres, on which he milked 30 cows and carried some breeding stock. He had had no assistance on the farm since his last employee joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He was willing to go to camp, but could not see his way to secure a satisfactory employee at present. He considered that he could go to camp in April, when the dairy herd was dried off. — The committee adjourned the appeal sine die, subject to the reservist remaining in his present occupation. The appeal of the Wi Pere Trust Estate on behalf of J. S. McKenzie was made on the grounds of public interest and undue hardship. Mr McKenzie was described as a shepherd, employed on the 4500-acre Otara station, and also used in relieving work on Tangihanga station, of' 7000 acres. Both stations had lost employees, and were now down to the minimum staff with which the seasonal work could be handled. The Wi Pere Trust asked for a postponement of McKenzie’s service until March, 1941.—The appeal was dismissed, subject to no call being made upon the reservist before March 15, 1941.

Working- Station Alone

The appeal of G. E. N. Trafford, sheepfarmer, was based on the grounds of hardship and public interest. It was shown that the reservist was a partner with his brother, C. W. Trafford, now serving overseas with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Since his brother’s enlistment, he had carried on their 1250-acre property alone, with casual labour at times, but no permanent employees. The reservist had wished to enlist, but had realised that both he and his brother could not go. He bad been married last July, and was 29 years of age.—The appeal was adjourned sine die.

The employer of E. H. Hyndman, Mr. E. U. Richardson, appealed for the reservist on the ground that Hyndman had been trained to do the whole of the outside work of the employer’s farm, and was indispensible there owing to Mr. Richardson’s physical incapacity. The employer stated that he could make emergency arrangements to replace Hyndman during the AprilJune quarter if necessary.—The appeal was dismissed, subject to the reservist not being called upon before March 15, 1941. “

Appealing on the grounds of undue hardship and public interest, A. S. Gibson, sheepfarmer, stated that he was working an area of 3120 acres with the assistance of a boy.—The appeal was adjourned sine die.