THE SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8371, 2 March 1907, Page 5

THE SLAUGHTERMEN'S STRIKE.

By Telegraph—Press Association. ' GORE, Last Night. The men at Mataura were given four and a half hours this morning in which to say whether they would resume work. They did not start, and the four men killing beef yesterday are also out to-day. The loan of the works was granted to Mr F. Wallis to kill 2,250 lambs, and he has made arrangements with the men to kill these for him, this afternoon, at the 25s rate. GORE, Last Night. There is practically nothing new to record in regard to the strike at Mataura. The men were engaged to-day killing a line of 2,250 sheep for a private exporter, who made arrangements with the company for the use of the works, the rate paid l}eing 25s per hundred. A small line of 400 is to be similarly dealt with for another exporter. The company is now advertising for butchers, and it is expected that in a day or two the strikers will'be notified that their services will no longer be required. The majority of the men were personally opposed to striking, but all have gone out, the previous statement that four of the local butchers intended remaining loyal to the company not being correct. , The Hon. J. A. Millar's allegation that the Australians are at the bottom of the trouble is certainly true as far as the Mataura works are concerned, the prime movers there being several "Sydney-siders," who have been particularly keen on the question of striking and who made no secret oi: their connection with the strike in Australia and the success that attended them. There is a feeling abroad that the strike is in the "fizzling-out" stages. GISBORNE, Last Night. About 40 summonses for breaches of award have been issued by the Labour Department against local slaughtermen. A sitting of the Court will be held here, within a fortnight. INVERCARGILL, Last Night. The principal development in the strike, to-day, is that the works at ! Mataura and Ocean Beach re-started in the afternoon, the understanding being that they kill off the waiting stock. It would cost the owner sixpence per head railage each way and threepence per head a week to keep the stock if they were sent back to the farmers, and rather than that they have agreed to pay the extra halfpenny a head or thereabouts to make up the 25s a hundred demanded by the men to have the stock laughtered. The Southland Frozen Meat Company has made a similar arrangement, having practically handed over the control of the Mataura Works to a dealer who had 2,000 sheepjjat the works. The sheepowner must find the men, but it is understood that some of the men have gone back. The four butchers who refused to strike with the others turn out to be beef hands. They refused to kill mutton, and have since thrown in their lot with the'strikers. The strike could not have happened at a more opportune for Southland, accordingly to some authorities, as some drafts recently sent to the j works had been on the light side. The recent rains have greatly im proved the pasture, and sheep for freezing will' increase greatly in value during the cessation of killing operations.

CABLE NEWS.

By Telegraph—Press Association -Copyright,