THE BOOT TRADE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13741, 24 May 1910, Page 8

THE BOOT TRADE.

A meeting of the Christchurch Operative Bootmakers' Union was held on Saturday evening, to consider what steps should be taken against the manufacturers who discharged their apprentices on Thursday last for the purpose of • avoiding payment for Friday and Saturday holidays. Tho following resolutions were carried unanimously:—(l) That tho Executive of the Federation .be urged to take legal advice as to whether the action of mamifacturers was a breach <-f award. That all parents and guardian', of girls be urged not to send their girls to boot factories, unless they aro engaged as first or second-class apprentices, for unless this is done, the girls may not learn the trade, and may be discharged at any time by the employer giving her twenty-four hours' rotice.

The possible trouble in the boot trade in regard to the payment of girls for holidays seems to havo fizzled out. Yesterday all the large boot manufacturers 'reported that practically all tho girls previously employed by them had applied for re-engagement. There were a few; exceptions, and in some of those cases the girls had intimated that they did not intend to resume work, at tho, trade. As far as the opinions of the girls themselves are concerned, an employer stated that they have little sympathy with the agitation, which a few peopio had been responsiolo for fomenting. It may be mentioned that iv one case 24 girls out of 29 returned yesterday, and out of tho five absentees three had previously given notice that they were severing their connection with the trade.

.Mr G. R. Whiting, secretary of tho New Zealand Federated Boot Trades Union, expressed no surprise at tho fact that tho majority of the giris had gone back to work. The whole position, he said, was in the hands of the parents or guardians of tbo girls, who should, in his opinion, have tho girls engaged oituer as first or second-class apprentices. The Executive of the Federation would probably take legal advice as to whether the "recent action ot the manufacturers was a breach of tie award.