HOLIDAY ABSENTEES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 3, 5 January 1944, Page 4

HOLIDAY ABSENTEES

DELAYS AT IMLAY WORKS SEASON REACHING ITS PEAK Operations at the New Zealand Refrigerating Company’s Imlay Works, Wanganui, have been retarded by the failure of several men employed on the chains to report back for work after the holidays. When the works resumed killing fat James on Monday 26 of tne men employed on tne chains failed to attend and 15 were sJll absent yesterday. The first two chains of 32 men each were fully manned yesterday, but the third chain was waiting for a sufficient complement before it could operate. Commenting on this position, the manager, Mr. H. E. Ziesler, said yesterday that it was the result of holidays on full pay. The works had been closed for the Christmas and New' Year holidays and the men had been paid for a rest period of five days.

It was also stated that, the men knew they would be faced with heavy killings when the works reopened, but the absentees apparently did not appreciate the concessions which had been given them.

Witn the object of enabling the works to start with full pens a special freight tram with fat lambs w'as run from the Marton district on Sunday. Subsequent consignments of fat lams from various parts of the district have been transported by ordinary freight services and sufficient stock is available to keep the works going at full pressure. It is expected that by next week the fat lamb traffic will reach its peak and that many special trains from Taranaki and Rangi’ikei district will be necessary. Consignments of lambs from back-country areas have also been arriving at the works by road transport.

Killings at Imlay have reached 6000 to 7000 daily and the works will be operating under pressure for some Weeks. Because ’farmers held their stock till weights were increased the fat lamb season was later starting. Climatic conditions, the best for some years, enabled this to be done with advantage, but with the drying off of pastures a rush throughout the -country for killing space is inevitable. Lambs now passing through Imlay are reported to be in excellent condition, average weights being lib, heavier than last season. The advance of one-eighth of a penny per lb. in the lamb schedule operated from Monday of this week.