TEMPORARY TRUCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13306, 16 February 1914, Page 3

TEMPORARY TRUCE.

SYDNEY BUTCHERS' STRIKE

(Press Assn.— By Telegraph— Copyright.) SYDNEY, February 15. The Meat Employers' Committee passed resolutions as follow : —

"That m the event of tlie men returning to work forthwith m accordance with the existing award and the conditions m force on February 4, and the employees wishing to apply to the Board for a variation of the award, the employers would not oppose such an application, but would do everything m their power to expedite the Board's arrival at a decision. "That if the men accept this offer the carcase butchers will resume operations to-morrow and the agents will give notice of the resumption of sales on Tuesday."

These resolutions were submitted to Mr Estelle, Minister of Labor, who placed them before a commitee representing the employees.

This committee claimed to have no authority to accept or reject any proposals coming from the masters, but will place the offer made before a mass meeting on Monday night.

Mr Estelle gave the men to understand that the Department would take no further action with the matter of enforcing awards until a satisfactory solution was arrived at.

At Mr Estelle's request the employees decided to resume slaughtering tomorrow, and plenty of meat will therefore be available to the public.

Retailers shops will be thrown open as an invitation to the men to resume work, but no move is anticipated until after the mass meeting. .

The secretary of the Masters' Association said the employees were welcome to any compulsory conference or properly constituted tribunal presided over by Judge Heydon, as the employers consider they would receive fair treatment from such a body.

The secretary ' of tho Australian Workers' Union declares that there is a con« spiracy on the part of the Employers' Federation to keep meat from the public. He considers that the Government should step m and control the abattoirs. The Government, he says, would be justified m immediately arresting and putting m gaol every member of the committee appointed by the Employers' Federation. He contends that there is a recent precedent for the deportation of members of this- committee, and says the Union could place 5000 men,"- armed if necessary, at 'the service of the country to protect the interest of the public and ensure the food supply.

The master butchers met to-day and approved of the committee's resolutions, and decided on the resumption of works at Glebe Island, while 'cattle will be sold at Home Bush. Mr Furse, of the Employees' Union, commenting on the employers' proposals, says the men are willing to resume tomorrow provided the wages and terms asked for are arranged. (Received Feb. 16, 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY., February 16. The secretary of the Meat Employees' Union states that tho men's services were dispensed with, the employers thus creating a lockout. The Government M r as expected to put the law m motion. The union was prepared to take over Those shops which the employers' secretary stated they were prepared to hand over, and if slaughtering space was granted at Glebe they would, m the interest of the public, open the shops immediately for the sale of meat.