Page 5 Advertisements Column 1

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 112, 12 May 1900, Page 5

The difficulty between the Wellington Drivers' Union and various employers has not been settled by the award of tue Conciliation Board, and the Union has decided to state a case for the A -I Oration Court. Amongst other things the Union will ask that the Court, should fix the hours of labour at eight per o?.y, or 46 hours per week ; that driver.* oflorries and vans with two horses should receive £2 10s a week, drivers of lorries, vans, spring drays, carts, and expresses^ with one horse, £2 5s a week ; drivers delivering coal £2 8s a week, tram drivers £2 10s a week, and casual drivers Is 3d per hour, or 9s per day ; that overtime should be at the rate of Is 6d per hour, except on Sundays, when 2s 6d an hour should be paid ; and that preference of employment should be given to members of the Union. The Union ha"s also resolved to apply to the Court to make all those employers of drivers who are doing business in the sand and gravel trade, and the aerated water and cordial manufacturers who have not signed the duly executed agreement entered into by the Union, parties to the agree, meat already bigned by four employers in those lines. Messrs. W. Hannafin, A. Orr, and J. Mills are to represent the Union before the Court. At a meeting of the Union last pight a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Orr for his efforts in connection with the difficulty. Another young New Zeaiander has been distinguishing himself in the fields of -medical science in the Old Country. Mr. Edward Peers, son of Mr. T. C. Peers, builder, of Wellington, who went Home about seventeen months ago to complete his medical studies, came out with flying colours in the March examinations in connection with Guy's Hospital. Mr. Peers topped the list in the dissecting examinations, obtaining 50 per cent, more marks than the next highest competitor, and securing the coveted Durham medal. Mr. Peers had only been associated with Guy's for ten months, and his remarkable success must be very pleasing to his relatives and 'friends in this oirty. In its reports upon the condition of trade in tho cities and towns of the colony, the Labour Journal for May, which is just to hand, has this to say of Wellington's trade during April : — Bunding trades— Still fairly "busy. Engineering trades — Fairly busy ; all shop 3 working full time, and some overtime. Boot trade — An improvement has taken place in this trade during the month. Clothing trade — Fairly busy. Retail trade (general) — Very good business appears to be doing, but tradesmen complain of a scarcity of cash. Unskilled labour — There is a slight increase in the number of applicants for employment, caused, no doubt, by the winding-up of harvest operations. A considerable number have been assisted to work in town and country. 1 The Seatoun. Road Board met last night. Present — Messrs. H. Rawson (Chairman), C. J. Crawford, A. E. Matin, F. Townsend, and E. G. F. Zohrab. It was decided to ask the Melrose Borough Counci'i to put the Kilbirnie-road in repair and to point out that the. Board was keeping its own roads in good order. In consequence of a complaint by the Public Works Department it was decided to have some debris removed from the- Point Halsweli-road. Mr. Mabin was empowered to obtain prices for fencing the Overton Park. It was decided that the whole Board should be a- committee to consider the question of tree planting. It was decided to inform the -Harbour Board that vessels were removing stones from the Karaka Bay beach. It was resolved that the Harbour Board should be interviewed re wharves. A motion by Mr. Crawford that Beere-haven road and FeK's-crescent should be repaired was not seconded. The representative of the Whanf Labourers' Union "struck a snag" in the person of Mr. G. F. Smith, Acting-Sec-retary of the Harbour Board, whom he called as a witness before the Conciliation Board yesterday. Ml. Smith is a man of many parts. He is known as an excellent departmental officer, a firstclass draughtsman, and a, capable surveyor; but few people would imagine the many other qualifications he possesses as a judge of labour. Mr. Young, the Union representative, had closely questioned Mr. Kennedy as to his qualifications to act as manager of the Union Co. , and he w-as proceeding to question Mi*. Smith as to his qualifications and practical experience of manual labour, when the witness completely staggered him by a, detailed reoital of the various employments he Kad undertaken in his time. "I have," said Mr Smith, "carried sacks of jgtrain for days iand days ; I have worked in a coal-raine ; with a. few other men I have erected a. three-storey concrete building; I have been tieing oats after a reaper ; I have been a stooker, a pitchier, and a. stacker; I have been blacksmith's and carpenter's mate ; I do all toy own painting, paperhanging, and glazing ; and I have shorn many merino rams — and," he added, amid a. peah of daughter at Mr. Young's expense, "anyone who has shorn merino rams knows •what hard work really is." But this was toot all. "I have," he continued, "been 'engaged in road-making ; I have laid 'drains ; and I have put in as many post holes as there are telegraph poles 'in Wellington ; also, I have started with Ja team of horses before daylight, come : back after dark, and put up thirty chains 'of stake and wire fencing, when it was ■said it could not be done." He had also •wheeled trucks with grain on them, and •that was harder work than skipping along the Wellington wharf with double 'dumps of wool or flax. After this re•oital, which was reoived with a good deal of .laughter, the employers, at all events, "were agreed that Mr. Smith knew a litlle about labour. Tht oil launch Uta, constructed by Messrs. R. and A. Logan, of Auckland, for the Wellington Harbour Board, arrived in harbour at 8.30 last night. Captain Nicholson, who at one time had charge of the oil launch Planet, reports leaving Auckland at 2.15 p.m. on Saturday last, and putting into Napier through stress of weather. Another start was made at 1 p.m. on Thursday, and favourable weather prevailed until rounding Cape Palliser, when a fresh north-west gale was met with. An average of seven knots was maintained throughout the voyage. A description of the vessel and particulars of her trial speeds have already been fully noted. Captain Nicholson speaks in terms of warm prase of her sea-going qualities, which were put to a severe test at periods of the passage. Mr. Lindsay, guarantee engineer of Messrs. Ryan and Co., and Mr. Robinson, formerly of the Kahu, who came with the vessel in the interests of the Harbour Board, found that the machinery worked with the greatest smoothness, and not a single hitch took place. Mr. Robinson is to take up the duties of engineer of the launch. The Star of Newtown Lodge, 1.0. G.T., will hold an open meeting in Trinity Wesleyan Schoolroom on Tuesday evening next. Every step of life shows how much laution is required, and a good deal of jaution is necessary when buying bnt;er. See that you 'get Black Swan Butter, the finest in the market. — Advt. i