TRADE AND LABOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 165, 12 July 1894, Page 7

TRADE AND LABOUR.

The Executive Council of the Auckland Employers' Association hold a meeting on Juno 27th, Mr A. Clark presiding. Mr F. G. Ewington, Socrotnry, stated thai) at his requesb the Hon. W. P. Rcavea had forwarded to him advance copies of several labour Bills. The Council proceeded to consider the Shipping and Seamon'a Act Amendment Bill, and considering that ie would hamper trade and inconvenience the public if passed in ita prosoub form, various amendments were suggested The Council drafted several amendments to the Bill, relating to ordinary and ablo seamen, overcrowding of steamors, carrying cargo and live stock, and passage tickets. Ifewaa decided to send these recommendations to tho Minister for Labour, asking him to_ incorporate them in the Bill thia session. Sub-Committees wore appointed fco considor and report on other labour Bills. The Typographical Conforenee opened nb Wellington on Monday, Juno 18th, among those present being Messrs Mason (Auckland), Gerard (Chriabchurch), Walker (Dunedin), Fisher and McGirr (Wellington). Ifc was decidod to discuss the following subjects :— Tariif, reform in imported printing, stereos and matrices, the unemployed question, competitive system, Masters and Apprentices Bill, stab wages, typesetting machines and rates, printing of school books in tho colony, teaching tho printing trado in gaols, and the Factories Acbin its relation to boy labour. A resolution was passed, deprecating members of Parliament exercising pressure on tho C.ibinob, in order to secure work for their friends in the Governmen Printing OiKce, and affirming that engagements for thab office should bo made through the Typographical Societies of tho colony, on a basis proportionate to tho number of unemployed in each Association. A deputation from the Conference waited on Mr Cadman to bring these resolutions under hia notice. In reply to tho deputation, with regard to tho system of employing printers in the Government Printing Office, the Minister of Justice promised to go into the matter with che Typographical Associations, but said that in dealing with applications the Government had to bear in mind the fact of people being on tho verge of starvation, and they could nob be bound too strictly by considerations which might) affect bho Societies in dealing with employees. At tho Conference resolutions were adopted bearing upon tariff reform on imported printing, and matrices and steieoa, a uniform " stab " wage, the teaching of the printing trade in gaol, Government and municipal tendering, and State school-books. It is the intention of the Conference to place before Ministers their resolutions on most of the above subjects, and to seek legislation in the required direction. The following resolution bearing upon the internal government of New Zealand associations, was carried unanimously, " Thab compositors arriving from Australian Colonies or from any parb of this colony without clearance cards, be charged aa entrance fee of not less than teu shillings, and thab tho Australian Association bo asked bo take corresponding action with regard to New Zealand." Tho Conference resolved to interview the labour members of Parliament in the direction of securing their supporb for the reforms sought for in the matters about which Conference has been deliberating. It was decided wibh reference to boys in factories and workshops to recommend that apprentices should receive a fixed weekly wago for their services, and in no case should they bo employed on piece, nor should they receive bonuses in addition fco their stipulated wages ; also thab tho hours of work should nob be more than eighb per day or 44 per week, and thab they should not bo alloy/ed to work overtimo except by special permission. Ib was also resolved to recommend amendments in the Printers and Newsoapers Rec;isbrat.ion Act, V6QS. Tho" Conference doalb with tho question of the regulation on wages, piece rates, and houra of labour in event of type-sebfing machines being introduced into New Zealand. The following resolution waa adopted:—"That in the absence of any subsequent agreement tho Now Zealand Typographical Association recommends for adoption the agreement entered into by l\'aw South Wale? Typographical Association with the " Daily Telegraph" of Sydney. With regard to these machines information was furnished to the Conference to the effect that; the proprietors of the "Sydney Morning Herald" had stated to their employees thab they had no intention of introducing type-setting machines in their office, _ at any rato for thre^ years. A resolution dealing with Government advertising in newspapers, the offices of which wore worked on non-Union lines, was auoprci, also one advocating simultaneous publication of a " fair " Hat by the four centrew, subject to certain conditions.