MEETING OF IRONWORKERS.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 548, 28 June 1879, Page 2

MEETING OF IRONWORKERS.

* • A largely-attended meeting of ironworkers and others employed in the Wellington foundries was held at the Central Hotel last night for the purpose- of considering the proposed reduction in their wages. The chair was occupied by an employe of the Lion Foundry. A representative of the Lion Foundry was the first speaker. He pointed out that his employers intended to reduce their workmen's wages by 15 per cent., and the men in that foundry considered it would be better to " stick out" against any lowering of the wages, for they felt that if once they permitted any reduction it would be very difficult to get a rise again. He thought that perhaps it would be better if the masters consented to work "half-time" until things improved. That would get over the difficulty so far as the reduction was concerned. They all agreed that Mr. Mills had always dealt fairly with his men, and they were now sorry to see him making the mistake of trying to reduce the wages. They knew that business was not brisk just now, and they sympathised with Mr. Mills, who had, unfortunately, been mixed up in a good many of the recent insolvencies; bur, at the same time, they had themselves to consult. House rent wa3 high in Wellington, and artisans and laborers required all they could earn in order to live Comfortably. He moved that a deputation, consisting of one man from each of the foundries, should wait upon the masters and confer with them, with a view to coming to some arrangement by which it would not be necessary to reduce the wages. The motion was agreed to, and the following were appointed members of the deputation : — Messrs. Williamson, Luke, Davis, Thompson, Gilchrist, and Campbell. A workman belonging to the Victoria Foundry said that he and his fellow artisans would agree to any proposal made by the other establishments. He complained that no notice had been given to the employes of the Victoria Foundry. The Chairman also complained of the shortness of the notice that had been given. He pointed out tbat recently, in Sydney, when times were bad, the employers did not reduce wages, but divided their men into two parties, one of which worked every alternate fortnight He felt certain that it the masters were approached in a proper Spirit the matter might easily be arranged without having recourse to | a strike. He sincerely trusted that there would be no reduction of wages, but in any case there ! would be no necessity for a strike. He advised the ineu to continue working quietly pending the reply of the masters to the deputation. Votes of thanks were accorded to the Chairman and the conveners of the meeting, and the meeting then closed.

j .The City Surveyor.— The visitor from the country.