BOTH SIDES WAITING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 18, 26 February 1914, Page 7

BOTH SIDES WAITING.

r THE BUTCHERS' STRIKE. , r . (K>V£&NMENT " MOVE EXPECTED. By ess Association.-:—Copyright. SYDNEY, February 25. The master butchers are sitting in close conference, discussing a communication from the Cabinet. Early developments are possible. At. a late hour to-night. the Cabinet Committee had nothing t;o report regarding the strike settlement efforts. A definite move is anticipated tomorrow*. The Master Committed to- - i ■' • v • .J - > • day made the first distribution f roiri ' the. relief fuiid to Nsmall . suburban butchers whose shops' are closed. ! ; . A committee appointed by . the Cabinet, consisting of Messrs Holman, Estell, and Flowers, to deal with strike matters, lis working quietly, but members decline to disclose' the direction .or effect,sofar, of their j r efforts. They conferred twice to-day 4 with representatives of the men. . " ■ ALL QTJIET. Outwardly ,the position is unchanged and everything is quiet. Both sides are; waiting for the Government to move. The depots opened early and closed at 1 p.m., the employers being; determined to run no risks of infringing the statutory half-holiday law. • ' ■ ' One or two more depots have bein opened, though the supply is* still far below the - demand. The management has greatly improved,'. and unseemly crushing and crowding has largely been averted. The commencement- of the Lenten season is> ■&> factor in the slackening demand for iheat, and there is a cori-r sequent further lengthening • "of the price of'fishi I . AT DEPOTS. I Prdeticaify meatless} for a fortnight, ■' Sydneyites? are devoting much self-persuasirve argument to the question, of whether it is,-jiot better to be without animal. food. .. Qn present appearances they will be given time to reach a decisive conclusion; • It is calculated'that by the end of the week the depots will have netted about £20,000. Some master butchers who have been close reported of seeing; a division of which, if, sb "far,' has not been made, j * {,,, - Local bac<p, and; sfliall ; go(ss supplies are The weekly 'tealf v sales to-day: were a failure, only tWo iinyefs being in attendance. '• -V, •■••• MEN CONCILIA^■ (Received February 26, 10.10 a. ! m.) '/ ' SYDNEY, ; 26. r So far the master butchers, have not been approached by mittee, but all the parties are anxiously awaiting the result of the? conferences with the men, who state they,, are pre-: pared to.enter into further negotiations, even with the masters. ~ , ... >l=: The Graind Council of the employees i has' decided to make an appeal throughout Australia for to continue the fight if A resolution has been carried that no frozen cargo is to be shipped during the continuance of the trouble. As a result of the strike 160 carcase carters, members of the Draymen's Union, are idle. Every effort-now seems to be to get the men back to work, and if this is done'it is understood that a tribunal will ,j^^. M appointed to arbitrate quickly on the-Blatters in- dispute. TROUBLE IN ADELAIDE. (Received February 26, 10,20 a;hi.) ADELAIDE, February 26.; A - mass meeting of the ' Meat Employees' Union expressed dissatisfaction at the hours and the present rate of wages. They decided to ask for a' conference with the employers within, 48 hours. There are prospects of the trouble spreading.