WAIKATO FEARS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22627, 15 January 1937, Page 10

WAIKATO FEARS

INDUSTRY THREATENED FAT STOCK RETURNED LITTLE FACTORY STORAGE [ U V TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] HAMILTON, Thursday The primary industries of the Waikato have already heen affected by the closing of the freezing works at Horotiu, and unless the labour trouble at the works is ended within the next lew days total paralysis will set in. At present all drafts of lambs, sheep, cattle and pigs which were to have been sent to the works for killing have been slopped with the exception of the limited numbers required for local consumption, the butchers having agreed to work the abattoir department which supplies the meat retailers of Hamilton and the surrounding districts.

Butter and cheese is not being received at the works and as the dairy factories havie* storage accommodation for only a few days' make of produce, the companies wiil soon lie obliged to refuse to accept milk and cream from their suppliers if the hold-up continues. The effect will be widespread and disastrous and incalculable loss will be suffered by all sections of the community.

Already farmers with export lambs, pigs and beef ready for killing have suffered inconvenience through having to send back to their farms drafts they had prepared for consignment, while many drovers and others connected with the industry are out of work. All orders for railway trucks required to convey cattle and dairy produce to the freezing works have been suspended and business in many quarters, including the saleyards, will soon be at a standstill.

A dairy company manager to-day slated that the seriousness of the position could not be exaggerated.

FARMERS ALARMED

TALK OF FREE LABOUR MANNING FREEZING WORKS [bv telegraph-—own correspondent] FUKEKOHE, Thursday The cessation of work in the freezing industry comes as a startling development to farmers in the Franklin district. The principal topic of conversation to-day was that in the middle of a season following a severe depression, dairy farmers should be faced with a prospect of serious loss. There is already talk of the farmers manning the freezing works to ensure despatch of their produce. The political significance of the situation is emphasised.

GOVERNMENT CONCERN MINISTER'S TELEGRAM "EVERY EFFORT BEING MADE " [nv* TELEGRAPH OWN correspondent] HAMILTON, Thursday The Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Leo Martin, has replied as follows to a communication from the Te Awannitu Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, in regard to the freezing strike: "Your telegram received. I am seeing the Hon. H. T. Armstrong and other Ministers again this morning. The seriousness of the position as it affects dairy companies is realised, and every effort is being made to overcome the trouble with the least possible delay."

THE THREAT OF LOSS

DAIRY BOARD ALARMED DISCUSSION WITH MINISTERS jjlV TELEGRAPH PKKSS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Thursday For the purpose of stressing the urgency of the position in regard to the handling of dairy produce from the northern factories, created by the present freezing dispute in Auckland, the chairman and members of the New Zealand Dairy Board waited on the Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, and the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, this afternoon.

The chairman of the board. Mr. A. J. Murdoch, outlined the position in which the northern dairy companies found themselves, with the limited cool storage accommodation at the factories either full or rapidly filling, and pointed out that the position would become more serious every day. The hoard had decided to take the opportunity of meeting the Ministers and offering co-operation and assistance in endeavouring to find a solution to the problem. Members of the board endorsed tho chairman's remarks and it was pointed out that the dairy industry, as the innocent party in the dispute, was threatened with serious loss unless soma solution was rapidly found. In reply Mr. Armstrong expressed appreciation ol the board's action and stated that, while at that stage there was really no means by which they could co-operate, he would keep in close touch with them and they could rest assured that Ihe situation was being dealt with as urgent. The board could aho rest assured that there would be no wastage of produce.

PIG SLAUGHTERMEN DENIAL OF STATEMENT HIGH EARNINGS OF MEN A denial that the company had not observed the award conditions governing pig slaughtermen was made yesterday by the management of the Westfield freezing Company, Limited. On Wednesday one of the men stated that in his "cut" there were 22 men, when actually there should bo 19 for inclusion in the pay, the other three men to 110 paid by the company. The management denies they have not followed the customary practice. "The work done 'by the 22 men quoted, includes the actual jobs which always have been customarily done by the pig butchers," it was .stated. "No change whatever has been made this season from what has been done in the past. The men have been paid the correct. rates for baconers and porkers. Since December I these men have averaged the following wages: for the week ending December o, each man received I' 9ls Id, working out at the rate of Us Id an hour; December 12, L'lo 7s 2d, or 9s 6d nil hour; December 19, Cll Bs, or 8s lid an hour; December 20, £7 Ms 7d, or 7s 3d an hour. "The last week quoted included 11 hours of 'go-slow,' when they earned 5s an hour. For the week ending .lannary 2 they each earned L'O 9s Id, or 9s od an hour. The following week (hoy each earned £l2 7s 4d, equalling 9s an hour on the hours worked. In addition they received .CM 8s payment for three • lays on which statutorv holidays fell.