EFFECT OF INFLUENZA

Grey River Argus, 27 April 1939, Page 11

EFFECT OF INFLUENZA

FREEZING WORKERS LAID UP BORTHWICK’S RESUME BELFAST CHRISTCHURCH, April 26. „ Normal activities resumed tms morning at Borthwick’s Freezing Works, Belfast. The men ceased work on Monday morning because of the prevalence of influenza, which hai reduced the staff by eighteen workers. The decision to stop was maae largely because of the fact that no provision is tnade- irr the Workers Compensation Act for the compensating of workers who are indisposed other than for accidents. The men, therefore, decided that it would be in their best interests to go off work so as to diminish the possibility ot their catching influenza or other complaints. Another factor, it was stated, was that some of the most competent men on the chain were absent berceuse of the complaint, and those who remained were finding it difficult to keep up with the work. It appears that the amount or killing has been affected in most of the freezing works Jin Canterbury during the last week through tne absence of men because of influenza ( Mr D. J. Shea, general manager of the . Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, said last night that men had been! away [from , tjhe company’s works at Pareora, Fairfield, ana Belfast during the last week. However, most of the men were back at these works on Monday. On one day during the week 16 had'been absent from Fairfield and 12 from Fareora. The manager of the North Can-

tpfburv Freezing Works, Kalanoi (Mr M. S. Wyber), said that the killing at his works had been reduced by about 1000 lambs on Mondav berpue of the absence of about 15 butchers. .