SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13836, 25 February 1907, Page 5

SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

AN' ANXIOUS TIME. RUMOURS OF A STRIKE. (Pie tJuiTEO Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, February 23. Much anxiety is expressed regarding the position of tho slaughtermen's dispute. Humours are comiiiou that Monday will ■see all slaughtermen in I lie freezing- works ori strike. It is understood (ho I'dreora sirike was premature and the result of a misunderstanding. A bi« meeting of fila.i(ghtofiiit<u, it is understood, will be held this cvehirisf, on the result of which a strike 'depends. Operations. at all, the Cliristchiirch frCpziiig works are goiiig on quietly |h one' the men urn away at an annua! pieiiie. 'i'lio mtuiagdrs of both companies arc reticent as to the position, but it is generally tiudeiMood that it is grave.

MEETING OF SLAUGHTERMEN. (Per United Press Association.) ' cmtCiiUßOHj. February. 24. About 120 slaughtermen from the Islington a<jd Belfast Works held a. meeting this afternoon, but the press was excluded, and the decision which was arrived, lit was cd.resecret. It appears, however, that the officers of the union have from the first discouraged anything approaching, a strike. 'l'wo members of the Union Committee from Islington, one from Fairfield, and four from Belfast, including Mr .Munro (secretary of the union) attended this afternoon's •meeting. Air Mvinvo read the Arbitration Act; and-pointed out Iho penalties far refusing to work. Another officer of the obramittco followed suit, after which the meeting, by a unafiimoits motion, requested the officers of the union to leave, which tliey did.

It IS. 1 Understood dial the slaughtermen will subm : t their demands to both companies t6-mbi ; r'o\v. Ari officot of the union informed a reporter .that he understood iliufc the action taken in tho tlliFof'CUfc towns was independent, ittid tliiit tliofe Jiatl bfcen iio previous arrangement between tlie centres.

.POSITION AT GISBORNE. (Per Ukitod Press ASsoctATloii.j

. GISBORNE, February 24. Noiliing definite can bis, yet ascertained regarding tlie attitude .of. tlie slaughtermen. Tiie chairman of viirec'tors of tiio Gisborne Sheet)' Farmers' Company • oil Saturday stated: "The position is this: Tho slaughtcrinenj iii sympathy with the movement elsewhere, wrHli) asking 'for a rise in pay. to 25s per 100, arid certaiii othet concessions.- From tho ivordihg. bf their,application it was evident Mint they wero \iikler "the belief that, they could make stich a demand as-individuals, and not lis niolnbers of the union, tin it being pointed out to them that they must define their position .they slatfcd that they desired to make it clear ®thiifc. their proposal for aii increase iii the killing rate conies from them .as slaughtermen only. _ The union, aS a body has taken no part in the matter. Tho directors had the matter under consideration this moriiing, and, whiio quite willing to treat with the men as to the proposals that they wero advancing, it was extremely difficult to treat tfith tlienl while they wero *>p6Hly_ professing to be independent of the existing award under which the factory is working. The directors ivill inform them that they are quite willing to reopen any negotiations for conciliation on their application, which has, been for some months, pending the court's sitting at Gisborne, and any agreement arrived at can then be submitted to the court for its approval. Tlio directors regret the excoedihgly long .(My tlibre has been in tho cotlrt hot sittilig, and quite recogniso any hardships there may bo on the men. Rumours afloat as-to thb intentions of the men indicate that tho Situation iB stjll grave, INCREASE OF PAY AT THE LONGBURN WORKS. (Pier "Usited Pres3 -AssOcmtioiS:) ' PAMIERSTON N., February 23. T The slaiighternieii . employed by the Ntiliuila) Mortgage. (ili<i IlisUfahoe Company 'at tho Loilgburii freezing works have intimated that they require an increase iii the killing rate from 20s por hundred to 235. 'Ih'c demand lias -been, granted; pcikling a-H award bt the Arbitration CoUrt. •

THE SOUTH CANTERBURY WORKS. (Pin tINiTHD Press Associifioir.) 1 TIMARU, Fcbriiary 24. There ai'e no fresh . .developments ,at PareOra. From 6000 to 7000 sheep,. Mostly pl]eserVers dwl ..bb'ilhrs, but sonfeV freezers, are on liitiid. They are being fed on lwyi no otlier feed being procui-able. At Smithfield the 6laUgljtcritißii liikve killed sill tile freezers on hand. Both works decline to book killings excfcpt at owners', risk.

ARBITRATION COURT'S DECISION.

■ (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, February 23. 1 The decision of tho Arbitration Court is not likely to be delivered Jot some days t as the members of the court leave for the south to-night.

BUSINESS MEN'S VIEWS. (Fitoit Our Own . CdnAKSPONDKIra.) CiiIUSTCHURC'II. February 24. A representative of tho Press interviewed several leading btisiriess nien on the subject of tho slaughtermen's strike to-day, aiid gathered* from them that they think that further serious trouble may bo. averted- by firm treatment. Ono gentleman, whose 'vieiVs are known to bo those of "riiaiiy, declared tb.U there was no general desire ori the part of ihe employers to have tho Arbitration Act repealed. It certainly had .'.nanv defects, but these hiiglit be remedied iii the course of time. Tlie. act had not been the boon which it was believed it would be: but it might be beneficial to both parties if worked in the interests of both. Tlie employers complain that it been a onesided affair, and has b'ech worked bv the Labour Department iiiore iii tho interests of the workers than of the. eihploycrs. Tho opinion was .expressed that the majority of the workers want to go on, tinder present conditions, and that few, if any, of the unidns will follow the example of tho dalightcfmen. Parliomeint should support the decisions of ihe court, and must do so, otherwise the arbitration system will go lo pieces.

FEKhINO AT BURNSIDT3. •On investigations being trtticio at the abattoirs aitd freezing -yorks at Bitriisidc oh Saturday regarding thti attitude the riteti were takitig up, very Jlttlo d&'atlsfacfloh was expressed except in rflgard to the lengthy hours wbrkeu. This is speciaj complaint lit iho abattoirs that t"iie elftughtevincii aro some times called oil to work 16 hours' a day. and aro not infrequently on tlio flour for 13 or 14 .hotirs—from 5.3u a.iii. oii iiiilil evening. Tito possibility ot a strike whs scouted by the tfieii, who, however, think they should bo more adequately paid for their services.' One employer at. the abattoirs) about a fiirt-night ago ?nvo liis men an additional 10s per week.

A stronger note was struck at the freezing works, Tviirre tho men ar« paid by the hundred. The f?luit.i;hte,i'men considnr that tliey are entitled lo even more pay than in tho north, for the reason that more tig sheep go through their hands, whereas it is mostly lambs that go through the northern works. >Tlio same rate is paid as in the jidi'lh—£l' jpFf 100.—but ffhilu d holms of Is per tidy is paid etStnvljere, the local eirtployef'S oiilv get 6d. TficJ" ctiiisider lllat under the conditions prevailing at BUtnsido they are quiU) Entitled.to 2fa. Ilcrc, too, the men tire dissatisfied Willi iho lata hours. ■Both at the abattoirs and freezing works a great majority of the liieti favqitr the establishment of a uiliofi. WOLF&S SCHNAPPS corteots the illeSeclS of impure water. —It is reported that the fire.it Eastern Railn-py (Vimpdny lire .about to lemovo thoir works from ..Stratford to some place in Norfolk or Suffolk owing to tho everincreasing rates of West Hatn. It will mean the transference of 8000 workmen; for jvhpffl a git.fdeft .city'sill bo built,