FIGHT TO A FINISH.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume 1, Issue 7, 13 February 1914, Page 7

FIGHT TO A FINISH.

THE BUTCHERS' STRIKE. By Cdbtt. —Press Association.—Copyright, _ SYDNEY, February 12. Owing to; the • black-listing of fifty butchers' shops in the city and suburbs have closed. The carcase butchers and buying and selling agents dclare that it will be a fight to a finish if the men refuse the compromise of a 49$ hour week with a rise of 5s in wages. v All slaughtering, both retail and export trades, will cease to-night failing, a.settlement. ~ MEAT FAMINE THREATENED. A ineat- famine is .threatened unless to-night's meeting of employees reaches a settlement. There were no sales of stock at the Homebush market: to-day for the first time in the history of the State. : The sales were postponed owing to ; thestrike. v . v At a meeting of stock agents and buyers it was decided to postpone the; sales till further notice, and to issue a statement that as a result of the Butchers' Union blacklisting certain members of the retail trade and forbidding carcase butchers to supply them under threat of withdrawal of the slaughtermen, it had beei. "decided that ' the* carcase butchers ; shovld close down to-night until the/''black list" was withdrawn or an amicable settlement reached. A committee was appointed to handle the trouble. Stock owners are to be advised to stop forwarding till further advised. EMPLOYERS' TERMS REJECTED. (Received February 13, 10.3 C a.m.) SYDNEY, February 13. At a conference with the butchers ! the masters renewed the offer of a 49£ hours' week, and 5s increase in wages, but the men would not agree to the employers' terms. Nothing definite is settled,, and a mass meeting of all the employers in the meat trade takes place to-day. "STRIKE INEVITABLE." (Received February 13, 10.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, February 13. A meeting of representatives of all

unions likely to be affected in the event of a butchers' strike, discussed what steps should be taken. No information was given as to the decision arrived at, but it is**believed that a strike is inevitable.