FREEZING WORKS TROUBLE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19687, 14 January 1926, Page 7

FREEZING WORKS TROUBLE.

POSmON IN CANTERBURY. SLOW KILLING CONTINUES FARMERS SUPPORT COMPANIES. (PM United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, January 13. Killing at the rate of a lamb every 15 minutes by slaughtermen at the freezing works in Canterbury, worked steadily but slowly to-day. The men are not allowed to kill a day’s quota as they like, and then leave the works. One lamb is given to a butcher every 15 minutes, and, as a competent man can easily handle lambs at the rate of ten per hour, this means going very slow indeed. The executive of the Farmer’s Union and the general committee of the A. and P. Association carried resolutions to-day concerning thei trouble in the freezing works. The resolutions generally supported the companies in resisting the demands of the union, and promised support. The Farmers Union’s resolution contained the following: "That in the event of a stoppage the branches of the Farmers Union should be asked to do their utmost to find men to carry on the work.” There (teas more rain to-day and this should help materially to restore the pastures which were failing badly on some of the lighter lands of Canterbury owing to dry weather. This will relieve the farmers of much anxiety, because, while the deadlock continues,' they must keep their fat stock on their farms.

FEILDING WORKS INVOLVED. MEN DEMAND INCREASE. (Per United Press Association.) PALMERSTON N., January 13. There is a definite opinion in the Manawatu that the freezing works dispute ‘will come to a head on Saturday. The trouble has extended to the Feilding company’s works at Aorangi, where the men demanded an increase of 2s 6d per 100 for slaughtermen, and an increase also for day workers. Consideration of the demands was deferred pending the return to Feilding of Mr J. G. Cobbe, chairman of directors Meantime the work is not proceeding at full pressure, 20 stoppages having occurred. WANGANUI NOT AFFECTED. MEN DENY RUMOUR. (Per United Press Association.) WANGANUI, January 13. The freezing workers’ organisation here emphatically demies the published statement that a stopwork meeting, held yesterday and addressed by Mr Robert Semple, was in any way connected with the freezing workers’ dispute.