LABOUR ITEMS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LX, Issue 2571, 7 December 1897, Page 3

LABOUR ITEMS.

United Press Association -By Electric Telegraph— Copyright. Received December 6th, 1 p.m. London, December 5, In the event of the conference between the employers and the engineers failing to effect a solution of -he difficulties, the London Trades Council suggest that a National Convention of labour organisations should be held. Keceived December 6th, 11 p.m. December 6. The Board of Trade, replying to the railway men's appeal to Mr Ritchie, the president, to arrange a conference for the purpose of discussing their demands for shorter hours, decline to intervene. At the same time the Board point out that the men's programme is not likely to meet with a friendly reception. Attention is called to the fact that the Railway Act enabled men to direct the Board's attention to the question of excessive hours. To strike, as it m urged, would be inconsistent with the exceptional position m which the Act placed them. The representatives of the railway companies are unwilling to meet the men m conference. The Board promised to endeavour to remove the difficulty. Mr John Burns, speaking at Clapham, deprecated a general strike at the present juncture. The workmen's leaders predict the rejection of the terms insisted upon by the employers at the Engineers' Conference. The Engineers' society is taking a ballot among 60,000 members now m work on the question of increased strike levy and shorter hours. The executive commit tee are also appealing for further strike funds. The allied trades executive concur with the attitude adopted by the engineers. THE ARBITRATION COURT. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, December 6. The Arbitration Court sat to-day to hear the dispute between the operative bakers and the Master Bakers' Association, The case had been before the Conciliation Board previously. M' Justice .Williams, who presided, decided that as the pastrycooks had withdrawn the case from the Board, the Court could not deal with it. The operative bakers were willing to accept the finding of the Conciliation Board, but the Master Bakers' Association objected to fixing 48 hours as a week's work, and asked for nine hours or 54 hours per week. They also objected to binding apprentices, the proportion to be one apprentice or improver for every three men. As to wages, the masters proposed that no forman should receive less than Is per hour; second hand, lid; table hands, lOd ; jobbers, Is. After the evidence had been heard, the decision was reserved till after the hearing of the tailors' dispute.