LABOUR MATTERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1185, 21 July 1911, Page 5

LABOUR MATTERS.

THE ACTING-PREMIER SUPPORTS STRIKERS. SUGAR SHORTAGE FEARED. By TelcEraDb-Prcss Association—Copyright Melbourne, July 20. Mr. W. SI. Hughes, Acting-Moral Prime Minister, ns president ot the Waterside Workers' Union, has announced that the Wharf Labourers' and Seamen's Unions have decided not to handle nonunion sugar during the currency of the Queensland strike. All sugar landed up to July 18, however, would be handled. The ship-owners view the position with grave concern. Tho present stocks of sugar in. Melbourne will last six, weeks. Brisbane, July 20. Tho Carters' Union of Bundabcrg has decided not to handle non-union sugar. A large number of • recently-imported navvies on the Great Western Railway Extension havo struck for higher wages. Work has been stopped. ■ FARM WORKERS AND ARBITRATION. Sydney, July 20. Mr. G. S. Beeby, Minister for Labour, declined to accede to a request of a deputation from the Dairy Farmers' Conference to strike out of tho Industrial Disputes Bill the clauses affecting rural workers. The deputation claimed that other industries were in a position t'o pass on the increased cost to consumers, but the prico of butter could not be raised. The charges of child slavery in the dairying districts were also strongly resented by the deputation. .SYDNEY GAS DISPUTE. Sydney, July 20. | The Gas Company will consider the union's claims to-day. ' . An assurance has been given on behalf of the company that a settlement will bo come to. I (Eec. July 21, 0.30 a.m.) Sydney, July 20. The Gas Company has withdrawn its logal objection to tho jurisdiction of the Gas Employees' Wages Board, thus removing tho obstacles to a settlement of tho dispute. A conference will bo held on Monday. . DRAPERY TRADE CONDITIONS. Melbourne, July 20. The Drapers' Wages Board award has reduced the hours of work from fifty to forty-eight weekly, and. increased the wages of men from .£2' 10s. to £2 18s. per week and of women from ,£1 7s Gd. to £1 10s. VANCOUVER STRIKE ENDS. Ottawa, July 19. The striko of 4000 unionists at Vancouver, in sympathy with the carpenters, has ended. The men aro returning to work on tho employers' terms.