DEPLETED STAFFS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25735, 5 January 1945, Page 2

DEPLETED STAFFS

MINISTER CONDEMNS HOLD-UPS (PA.) INVERCARGILL, Jan. 4. The three Southland freezing works resumed operations to-day with depleted boards. At Ocean Beach there were 54 butchers, compared with 74 for the full board; at Makarewa there were 49, compared with a full board of 75 to 80; and at Mataura there were 35, compared with a full board of 50. Lambs are coming forward in fairly good condition, but unless the boards are fully manned shortly the works may be in difficulties because of the large number of lambs likely to come in fat off the ewes. One of the chief reasons for the shortage of slaughtermen is the delayed shearing, many of the slaughtermen being also shearers. In addition, several men who were to come from the North Island for the opening of the season will not be here until about the end of the month. Though killings will be restricted in the meantime, it is anticipated that there will be an improvement as the month advances and more labour is available. . .

In a statement to-day the Minister of Labour, Mr P. C. Webb, said that a compulsory conference had been called by him in Wellington before' the holidays of representatives of the freezing workers and the companies, and so far as he knew, the whole question had been amicably settled. It had been agreed then that product! 9n should be maintained and that any differences between the men and the companies should be straightened out by conciliation or arbitration. He knew of no friction existing at the present time, and he hoped there would be none.

The Minister said that any hold-up of production would be criminal on the part of those responsible, whether the men or the companies, when the people of Britain were in the forefront of battle and in dire need of all the foodstuffs that New Zealand could send. He hoped that, whatever differences might exist, they would not affect the production of foodstuffs.

SOUTHLAND FREEZING WORKS