MEAT INDUSTRY

Northern Advocate, 3 December 1921, Page 5

MEAT INDUSTRY

VERGE OP INSOLVENCY.

TREEZING WORKERS' WAGES,

BONUS MAY BE VARIED.

: (Special to "Northern Advocate.") WELLINGTON, This Day. "The meat industry of this country is facing bankruptcy, unless employers "-and employees are brought to a better understanding of the hopeless position -in which the" primary producers are placed," said Mr A. D. McLeod (WaiTarapa) in the House of Representatives yesterday. The memiber was ask- : ing the Minister of Labour whether the ■bonvs granted freezing workers under " the neyv award was a cost of living l>onus and was subject to reduction by '■ .Court.

The Minister, Hon. G. J. Anderson, • said the award stated that a bonus should ibe paid "unless and until the 1 Court should otherwise order." He "was advised that the bonus was intend- . Ed 'to Ibe a cost of living bonus and that the Coure reserved to itself the right to -amend the award. Of course the Court exercised its discretion in fixing the term of the award. He had no power to influence the Judge and would not desire such a power.

Mr G. R. Sykes (Masterton) urged the freezing workers' award should r ,be revised, because the rates of wages ■were unreasonably high, and when passed on to the fanners in increased -charges would make it impossible for the farmers to carry on, owing to \the high freight and freezing charges and ".the abnormally low prices offering for stock. The meat industyj he said, was undergoing a process of strangulation.

The Minister replied that there was no power xmder law to revise the award -and ho did not know that revision "woula be wise. It was unfortunate if any mistake had been made, but the r Court had full evidence before it and there was no means of revising the : award; except so far as the bonus was -concerned it would have to run for its full term.