THE SLAUGHTERMEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15236, 25 February 1913, Page 8

THE SLAUGHTERMEN.

NORTH [ISLAND WORKS. PLENTY OF FREE LABOUR. fBT TELEGRAPH. —OWN COBBESrONDEKT.'J Wellington, Monday. . The. meat strike' has been in progress so far as the North Island works are concerned for five weeks and three days ,and to all appearances prospects of- a peaceful settlement are as distant as they were at the beginning of the contest. So far as can be ascertained the companies are committed to the view that the day for compromise or settlement with the Slaughtermen's Federation has gone by, that they have regained full control of their own boards, and' that the industry is to be restored to its former position as regards output, on a basis of free labour, working under the conditions which the companies themselves established.

. Advices received by the local com- '■§■ panies are to the effect that on a number V-1 of the North Island boards no ex-slaughter- ' J men, are to be found. It is admitted that ; 5 there are unionists on some o'i the. boards, ; \ : : but free r labourers, it, is stated, everywhere . largely preponderate. ';[ The representatives of the ex-siaughter- v men, on the other hand, decline to admit V; that they are beaten, and apparently they •'/;' hope that the companies will be unable, • with the aid of free labour, to reach ~a volume of output which .will satisfy Hhe'jv'te farming community. -■] ' '. :.,";i!s Both local companies, if was stated, ''r& are receiving plenty, of applications, --.sd . : . anticipate having full labour boards very -Jf shortly... Applications . are sufficieutlv 9 numerous to enable the companies to pick ? and choose. Only men who have bod fl some experience are being taken on, though ?< it is tot being demanded that they S V dl. 1 be as fast as fully trained slaughtermen. The '■ % idea of the companies is to secure men- ™ can do good work from the start, and f. are capable of a reasonably rapid improvement !ii.tb 5i matter of speed. '. • .-» . i.