THE FREEZING DISPUTE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17951, 1 December 1932, Page 6

THE FREEZING DISPUTE

TOKOMARU WORKS START NON-UNION LABOR ENGACED UNION MEMBERS REFUSE WORK The, Tokomaru Ray freezing ffjAs opened its killing season tins moriiJP*’ with sufficient non-union labor to the operations througn. Union members refused engagement. , Advice received by the Gisborne Sheepfanners’ Frozen Meat and Mercantile Company stated that more sufficient labor was on offer, and ]0 butchers, non-unionists, were working. A little delay octuired in the commencement of work, but late in the morning operations were said to bo moving smoothly. No word was received of the probable tally that would be reached to-day, but it was reported that no speeding up would be attempted on the first day, when the men woitid be settling down to their work. Better results should bo achieved to-morrow, however. _ Satislactory bookings had been received for the early part of the season, which should be a good one, although not up to last season's huge killings. Advice received by telephone from Tokomaru Bay this - morning by Mr. C. K. Bickford, secretary of the Freezers’ Union yin Gisborne, indicated that the union members At the coastal centre afo maintaining the same attitude as- the majority of their billow-unionists in Gisborne. The terms offered by the associated'' freezing companies,',for tfie'ctu;rblit ‘ Season, 'aria considered unhfcce'ptable by members of the union, and employment in the freezing works is not being sought by men who support the union. With regard to the Tokomaru Bay works it was reported to union headquarters this morning that a few non-unionists had visited the works at the opening hour to-day, but that the number of men awaiting engagement was insufficient to warrant a commencement of operations On the subject of the Wellington conference, Mr. Bickford mentioned that he had received information from Wellington that discounted the press message indicating that the conference had been abortive. No settlement of the dispute had been reached, certainly, but the Federation of Freezers’ Unions had invited the co-operation of the New Zealand Alliance of Labor, the executive of which body was to have met this morning, with' the prospect of renewed negotiations with the freezing companies’ representatives. FAT STOCK PRICES 0 RATES AT TOKOMARU BAY Buying rates for fat stock slaughtered at the Tokomaru Bay freezing works sire being offered by exporters as follows: Lambs, prime woolly.—36lb. mid under, s|d; 571 b., to 421 b., c|d; 421 b. and ovev, and seconds, 2jjd. Wethers.—4Blb. and under, 21d: 49 to 561 b„ 2Jjd; 57 to 641 b.- ljd< 65 to 721 b., ljd.; over 721 b., Id; seconds* l|d. Ewes.—4Blb. and under. ]J-d; 49 to 561 b., Id 4 , £7 to 641 b,, gd; over 64b., gd; seconds, fd. GISBORNE RATES PRICES UNALTERED No change has been made in buying rates by exporters at Gisborne, the top price for lamb remaining at 4d per lb. In addition to rates recorded last week, prime boner bulls arc being purchased at 9s per 1001 b. and boner ox and cow at 5s per 1001 b. l'ig buyers at Gisborne are offering the following rates: —Porkers.—Up to 801 b., 3gd; 81 to 1001 b., tyd; 101 to 1501 b., i jfl; seconds, jd less than prime rates. Exportable choppers, lid; unexportable choppers, jjd.