A SERIOUS POSITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 24 November 1913, Page 5

A SERIOUS POSITION.

CHRISTCHURCH FACTORIES - CLOSEDOWN. HUNDREDS THROWN OUT OF WORK. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night Yesterday the foundries and implement works of Messns P. and D. Duncan and of Messrs Booth, MacDonald and Co. were closed down, and over three hundred men have, in consequence, been thrown out oi' employment. The following notice was posted at Messrs P. and D. Duncan's foundry on Friday: "The management regret that owing to the directors, office staff, and some of the foremen being sworn in as special constables, the works will be closed from 11.33 a.m. to-morrow until further notice. —BY ORDER. Christchurch, November 21st, 1913. Mi W. Keir, managing director of Messrs P. and D, Duncan, in explanation of this notice, told a reporter that a meeting of employees was held, and they were asked if twenty-four of the rank and file would volunteer as special constables, so that the directors, office staff, and foremen, who had been sworn in, could remain on duty at the office, and thus permit the works being kept going. The response to this request was not sufficient, and in accordance with the notice the works were closed down. The men left quietly, and there was no demonstration. About two hundred men are affected,. The "Carlyle" implement work closed down yesterday, and between 120 and 130 men have been affected. Asked for a reason for this step, Mr Booth said that orders had stopped, and there was no work for the men. Consequently, and very reluctantly, they had been compelled to close down temporarily. There is a fairly large quantity of goods awaiting shipment, but the firm has been unable to ship, owing to the port being closed. Mr George Scott stated, to a reporter that the moulding shop at the Atlas foundry had been closed down. "We are going to keep the range-fit-ting and boiler shops going as long as Ave can get the goods awav," Mr Scott added. If carting is stopped, it will undoubtedly mean that the works will be completely closed down. Messrs Hay ward and Co.'s pickle factory closed down for an indefinite period yesterdaq. Fourteen men and women are affected. This time of the year is one of the firm's busy seasons, and is known as the "selling season." Owing to stock being held, up in Auckland and Wellington, the firm has found it impossible to.go on. The employees, it is stated, are not lied Feds.