AUSTRALIAN STRIKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15549, 5 March 1914, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN STRIKERS.

TROUBLE WITH BUTCHERS

MASTERS REFUSE TERMS.

NEGOTIATIONS BROKEN OFF,

SHOPS TO BE REOPENED.

APPEAL TO GOVERNMENT.

" ACTION IMPERATIVE."

PROMISE BY MR. HOLMAN.

By Telegraph — Press Association.—Copyright

'Received March i, 8.30 p.m.)

Stdnet, March 4. The master butchers have formally in. formed Mr. Holman (State Premier) that the Government terms of settlement of the strike are not acceptable,'"and .that, all negotiations have concluded For.. the ' present, so far as they are concerned. They hare also decided to discontinue the depot system from to-morrow, and will revert to the ordinary conditions, opening all the shops for the employers' business. It is estimated that 80 per cent, of the shops will be open to-morrow, and the balance in a few days. The employers will do their own killing and caning. The em-ployees-are invited to apply for reinstatement, the terms being disclosed on application.

In • Ministerial circles it is confidently believed that the end. of the strike is in view. Mr. Holman and Mr. Estell (Minister for Labour) further discussed the position With the employers- to-day, putting before them a- proposal slightly less favourable. Meanwhile the employees have called a mass meeting for to-morrow- morning in anticipation of a fresh offer from some of the retail butchers, which indicates a, breaking away from the allied trades committee. . So far, no labour is offering for the city shops, unionists expressing; the opinion that the attempt to run the shops by non-union labour will fail, and that all the competent men are unionists. The public is already tired of the kind of meat sold at the depots. A mass meeting of the employees baa decided to continue the strike on the present lines. Thousands of Men Idle. The employers in the meat and iron trades having resolved against resumption, excepting unconditionally, it is- recognised that a crisis has been reached, and that Government action is imperative. A total of 8500 men is idle in the iron trades. ' The aspect of the iron trades' istrike is more hopeful to-day. The Employees' Defence Committee has arranged'for a small sub-committee to meet with the president of the Employers' Association, the future action of the men depending on the result of this meeting. In the House of Assembly to-day, Mr. C. G. Wade (Leader of the Opposition} made a strong appeal to the Government to uphold the Arbitration Act, even to the point of prosecuting the strikers who were flouting the law. It was the Ministry's duty, in his opinion, to see that the food supply was maintained hi the public "interest. The result of the Ministry's inaction and the hollow cry of nationalisation , was, „he said, encouraging the men 'iii ' break the law and then, when the employers- were helpless, the men told them their businesses would be seized, thus'going" back to the old bushranging days.. . - - Reply by the Premier. Mr. Holman, in reply, isaid that"'th« Government was sworn to uphold .the law, and if need arose would dp it.. Happily, no such question had yet arisen, and."ha did not anticipate that'.rft'""Would-arise. Up to yesterday the Government had' ground for believing that a. .settlement would be reached, but apparently to-day it was confronted with the:necessity ©f doing something to restore-the -supply of an absolutely necessary " commodity. If that were so, it would face the position immediately, and take whatever steps were Decessary in the supreme interests of the community. If ■ information of breaches of the law- • was • forthcoming, prosecutions would " follow, while if the masters- got men, the Government would protect them. The Herald states that it has been ascertained unofficially that the Government's trump card in the event of the strike.continuing is to engage in a modified lorm of nationalisation— to nationalise the whole industry, but to provide killers and) killing facilities for sale depots L -and thosa prepared to undertake the sale and distribution of meat.

UNIONISTS USE FORCE. FARMERS TO THE RESCUE. Stdket, March 4. In connection with the rural workers' strike, a body of unionists yesterday raided a. ..farm near Wagga, compelled a number of non-unionists to leave- work, and marched them to the town. A strong force of farmers was. later enrolled and visited the unionists' camp. They delivered the captives and escorted them back to work.

WATERSIDE. WORKERS.

EMPLOYERS ENTER PROTEST.

(Received March i, 6 p.m.)

Melbourne, March 4. Under protest from the steamship owners against resuming the hearing of the waterside workers' case while the stevedores refused to fall into line by working overtime, Mr. Justice Higgins in the Arbitration Court to-day further adjourned the case till Tuesday.