LABOUR TROUBLES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10891, 4 March 1914, Page 8

LABOUR TROUBLES.

BUTCHERS’ STRIKE.

MINISTERIAL ENOOURAGE-

MENT,

United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received March 4, 1 p.m. Sydney, March 3,

The master butchers have formally informed Mr Holman that the terms of settlement are unacceptable and all negotiations are off for the present as far as they are concerned. They have also decided to discontinue the depots system from tomorrow and revert to ordinary conditions, opening all shops for employers’ business. It is estimated that 80 per cent of the shops will be selling.to-morrow and the balance in a few days. The employers will do their own killing and carting. Employees are invited to apply for reinstatement, the terms to be disclosed on application. la the Assembly, Mr Wade made a strong appeal to the Government to uphold the Arbitration Act, even to the point of prosecuting strikers, who are flontiag the law. He said it was the Ministry’s duty to see that the food supply was maintained in the public interest. The result of the Ministry’s inaction and the hollow cry of nationalisation, was encouraging men to break the law, and then, when the employers were helpless they told them their businesses would be seized, thus going back to tile old bushranging days. Mr Holman, in reply, said the Government had sworn to uphold the law if the need arose, and would do it. Happily, no such question had yet arisen and he did not anticipate that it would, Up to yesterday the Government had fair ground to believe that a settlement would be reached. Apparently to-day they were confronted with the necessity of doing something to restore the supply of an absolutely necessary commodity. If that was so they would face the position immediately and take whotaver steps were necessary in the supreme interests of the community. If information of breaches of the law were forthcom ing, prosecutions would follow. If the masters got men, Government would protect them. A mass meeting of meat industry employees decided to continue the strike on the present lines. THE GOVERNMENT’S TRUMP CARD. Sydney, March 4. The Herald states that it has ascertained unofficially that the Government’s trump card in the event of the strike continuing, is to engage in a modified form of nationalisation. They will not nationalise the whole of the industry, but provide killers,killing facilities and sole depots for those prepared to undertake the sole distribution of meat.

STRIKE OF IRON WORKERS

Sydney, March 4

The employers in the iron trades having resolved against resumption excepting in case of unconditional surrender by the men, a crisis is reached and Government action is imperative. 8000 are now idle in the iron trade:?. THE RURAL WORKERS’ STRIKE. FARMERS TAKE A HAND. Sydney, March 4, In connection with the rural workers’ strike, a body of unionists raided a farm at Wagga and compelled a number of non-unionists to leave work, and marched them to town, A strong force of farmers was enrolled and visited the unionists’ camp, delivered the captives, and escorted them back to work. Melbourne. March 4, Under protest from the steamship owners against resuming the hearing of the waterside workers case, while the stevedores refaaed tc fall into line in working overtime, Judge Higgins feither adjourned the matter till Tuesday. ,