SYDNEY'S MEAT SUPPLY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1914, Page 5

SYDNEY'S MEAT SUPPLY.

MASTERS WILL OPEN SHOPS.

By Eleothio Telegraph—Copyrightj [United Press Association.] (Received 9.30 a.m.) Sydney, March 4.

The master butchers formally informed Mr Holman (Premier) that the Government's terms t>i settlement were not acceptable, and ihht .ill negotiations were off ;x present as, far as they were concern"!. They had also decided to .iisconi.ir.no the depots system from to-morrow and revert to the ordinary conditions, openill shops for the 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. The employees have been invited to apply for reinstatement on terms which will be disclosed on application. In the Assembly, Mr Wade made a strong appeal to the Government to uphold the Arbitration Act even to the point of the prosecution of strikers who are flouting the law. It was, he said, the Ministry's duty to see that the food supply was maintained in the public interests. 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 business would be seized, thus going back to Ihe old bushranging days. Mr Holman, in reply, said the Government had sworn to uphold the law if need arose, and would do it happily. No such question had yet arisen, and he did not anticipate there would be any. Up to yesterday the Government had fair ground for believing 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 whatever steps were necessary in the supremo interests of the community. If information of breaches of the laws were forthcoming, prosecution would follow, and if the masters got one the Government would protect them.

"FORM OF NATIONALISATION."

(Received 10.10 a.m.) Sydney, March 3

The Herald states: It has been ascertained unofficially that the Government trump card is, in the event of the strike continuing, to engage in a modified form of nationalisation ; not to nationalise the whole industry, but to provide killers .and killing facilities and sale depots for those prepared to undertake tiie safe and distribution ot meat.

It is recognised that the employers in the meat and iron trades having resolved against resumption excepting on unconditional terms, a crisis has been reached, and that Government action is imperative. A total of 8500 are idle in the iron trades. A mass meeting of meat industry employees decided to continue the strike on the present lines.