Southland Fishermen on Strike

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 180, 2 August 1938, Page 7

Southland Fishermen on Strike

Object to Proposed Reduction in Prices SERIOUS BLOW TO EXPORT TRADE Per Press Association. INVERCARGILL, Last Night. The Southland fishing fleet remained at its moorings to-day and will continue to do so until a dispute that has arisen between the merchants and fishermen has been settled. The dispute is over the price of fish paid to the men by the merchants, who are seeking a reduction of five shillings a lOOlbs. Up to the time of the cessation of work the men were being paid 32s a lOOlbs. Tho secretary of the Fishermen's Union says the fleet will remain tied up in tho meantime, because the agreement between the fishermen and the merchants has been broken by the merchants. Fishermen at Bluff, Stewart Island, Pegasus and on the West Coast, numbering about 200 men, are idle. The merchants deny that any agreement has been broken. They say the original breach of agreement was made by the union. The cessation of fishing operations will have a serious effect not only on Ptowart Island, but on the whole of Southland, whoso exports of fish form a big part of the export trade of Bluff, which in the export of fish has risen from fourth place to second in New Zealand in four years.