LABOUR TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 448, 5 March 1909, Page 5

LABOUR TROUBLE.

WAGES OF CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS. .■ IBi Titioiurn—rEEss association.) Christchurch, March 4. Tho special reporter of the "Evening News" telegraphed from . Broken River to-day-that, although there is a good deal of dissatisfaction on the railway works beyond Broken River, the trouble does not appear at;ithe present time to., haro assumed very, serious dimensions, being confined to what is known as No. 17 cutting, in which about 130.men are employed. The men had hitherto been receiving 9s. a day, and were satisfied with that amount, but recently tho Government issued a mandate that it was not going to pay by day labour, in but at tho rate of Is. 3d. per truck. This intimation was received with resentment by the co-oper-atives who went on strike on Tuesday. If they wero going, to be p'aid per truck, they said'they must have 2s. On the assurance of-tho overseer that they would be paid at the former rato of 9s. a day till the difficulties were solved, they returned to work to-day. They held a'meeting yesterday, which resulted in a telegram being sent to tho Minister for Labour protesting that the contract price of Is. 3d. per truck did not permit of a living wage. To this message no reply has yet been sent. ' A conference was to. be held this afternoon between Mr. Vickerman, the engineer in charge of the works, and tlio men.