FREEZERS HOLD-UP.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 3 December 1926, Page 5

FREEZERS HOLD-UP.

AGREEMENT REACHED. NEW AWARD TO BE SOUGHT. The conference which sat at Yk elJington on Wednesday and yesterday to discuss .the settlement of the freezing works dispute reached an agreement yesterday. Making an announcement to this effect, Mr P. Hally (Conciliation Commissioner for the North Island) who presided over the conference, stated that the representatives of the freezing companies alul of the Freezing Workers’ Union had agreed that a joint application be made immediately to the Arbitration Court for a new award, which does not expire until June.

It was further agreed that if the Arbitration Court should amend the-rates of wages such alteration, if any, is to 'be made retrospective, as far as possible, to December 1. It was also agreed that the men s-hould be instructed forthwith to accept engagement at all works.

The employers were represented at the conference by .Sir Francis Boys (New Zealand Refrigerating Campanv, Canterbury), and Messrs. J. Milne (Wellington Meat Export Company), T. Simpson (Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company), F. S. Candy (Hawke’s Bay Farmers' Freezing Company), J. T. Rogerso7i (Longburn Freezing Company), W. H. Tripe (Gear Meat Company), D. Allan (Wairarapa Frozen Meat Company), C. G. Wilken (secretary of the South Island Freezing Companies’ Association), and F. B. Sanderson (secretary of the North island Freezing Companies’ Association). The workers were represented by Messrs 11. C. Revel 1 (secretary of the New Zealand Freezing Workers’ Federation), A. McLeod (Wellington), T. C. Ellis (Canterbury), A. Baker (Wellington), J. Hutchinson (president of tlie Freezing Workers’ Federation), E. Siel (Auckland), J. Milburn (Otago aud Southland), and A. Hudson (Poverty Bay). LOADING OF MEAT. COMPLETED BY FREE LABOUR. NAPIER, Thursday; Free labour completed the loading of frozen meat on the Port- Hobart this' afternoon and the vessel got away at; 5.30 for London, via Panama. Two shifts of free labour which loaded this vessel were then transferred to the Ruahine and will, despite the settlement of the freezing workers’ strike, carry right through with the loading of the Ruahine, which must be despatched by Sunday night at latest in order to reach London in time for the January wool sales. POSITION IN CANTERBURY. CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. As a result of the cold and unseasonable weather that has been experienced during the past week, the opening of the freezing season in Canterbury is being delayed still further. A month ago the companies had hopes of being in ’a position to open their works on Monday, November 29. Since then, however, conditions have been far from satisfactory as regards the preparation of the stock, and it is now doubtful whether it will be possible to commence the killing season on .Monday, December 13. POSITION AT WAINGAWA. Killing operations are still being carried on to-day at Waingawa by tho volunteer but alters. * It i.s expected that the Union slaughtermen will commence to-morrow. MEETING OF MASTERTON UNION. A special meeting of the Mastertpn branch of the Wellington Freezing Workers’ Union will be held this evening.