TELEGRAMS. GIRLS IN THE BOOT TRADE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 118, 21 May 1910, Page 9

TELEGRAMS. GIRLS IN THE BOOT TRADE.

QUESTION OF PAYMENT FOR HOLIDAYS POSITION IN CHRISTCHURCH. [BX TELEGHAPEt— SPECIAL TO THE POST.] CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Some trouble has arisen in the boot trade in Christchurch, and wiU affect the whole of New Zealand. According to statements of employees, it has been brought about by a recent interpretation in Wellington of the award of the Arbitration Court in the case against Messrs. Hannah and Co. The case was a test one. At conferences of both parties in Wellington last June it was agreed (it is stated) that girl apprentices should be paid for all holidays unless days were lost owing to the fault of tho apprentice. Since the award was made in terms of the agreement, some employers, it is stated, have not paid for holidays, and casese were brought against Hannah and Co. and Skelton, Frostick, and Co., of Christchurch. The case against the Wellington firm was dismissed by the court' because the apprentices had been discharged by receiving twenty-four hours' notice the day before the holidays. In the other case girls were put off in the usual way without being discharged, and the court held that the firm must pay the girls for holidays, as they had not been discharged. On Wednesday last all the girls in the boot and shoe trade in Christchurcn received the following notice : "We regret that it will be nee to dispense with your services as evening (Thursday). \\ ~ o cs due up to that time will be paid as you leave the factory. The manager will be in attendance at the warehouse at 8 a.m. on Monday next for the purpose of considering applications for employment, and should you desire to make fresh application it will be favourably considered." A special meeting of the Bootmakers' Union will be held this evening to consider this action. The Executive of the New Zealand Federation is in Christchurch, and it is expected it will fix a policy this evening for the Dominion in accordance with the decision arrived at by the union. Mr. Frostick says there had been no agreement in regard to paying girls affected by the dispute for holidays. It was agreed to pay for holidays only in the factory. Girls about whom the trouble had arisen could leave on twentyfour hours' notice and be dismissed on twenty-four hours' notice. The award given in respect to Hannah and Co.'s case made it clear that if the girls were not properly apprenticed they became "casual hands." In clause 14, which dealt with female employees, three classes of employees were defined. There were indentured apprentices, unindentured apprentices who agreed to serve for five years, and ths "casual hand," who could give twenty-four hours' notice or receive it. The girls affected came under the third class, and there had been no agreement at any time to pay them for holidays. TPBESS ASSOCIATIONS VANCOUVER MAIL SERVICE. AUCKLAND, 20th May. The secretary of the Wellington Chamber 5f Commerce has written to the Auckland Chamber explaining Wellington's attitude on the Vancotiver mail question. He says the weekly Suez mail is far more useful and valuable than any three-weekly service could possibly be. The Wellington Chamber is not prepared to advocate a heavy expenditure for a three-woekly mail, but is of opinion that the money would be much better applied to the .prosecution of the railway line from Napier to Gisborne, and from Gisborne northwards. Mr. Gunson, president of the Auckland Chamber, in reply, expresses astonishment at Wellington's hostility to the Vancouver service, ?nd says the Auckland chamber believes that to keep pace with the times both the Suez and Vancouver services are wanted, but considers the Tahiti service useless. With regard to the EasJ Coast railway suggestion, he asks why this patriotic impulse did not permeate the Wellington chamber before it secured the costly and useless Tahiti service of forty to fortyfive days from London. Mr. Gunson concludes by expressing the opinion that the Wellington chamber has failed lamentabl}' to gain any conception of the value of the Pacific trade and tourist traffic, and adds that he is addressing a letter on tho subject to all the chambers in the Dominion. COST OF FLAX PRODUCTION. PALMERSTON N., 20th May. A well-attended meeting of flaxmillers was held on Thursday to discuss matters brought up by Mr. Wm. Akers, who has returned from a visit to Manila and Europe. Mr. Akers had seen a Dr. Manmann in London (inventor of a process for utilising by product). The process Dr. Manmann was willing to give to New Zealand millers if it was made worth his while. At Thursday's meeting it was pointed out that the gum and the dye from fibre, both at present deemed drawbacks in flaxdressing, were most valuable. A strong deputation ot millers was appointed to wait on the Minister, .and ask that a bonus be offered to the inventors of machinery and other means of improving the treatment of flax and cheapening the cost of production. A substantial bonus is to bo asked for, and it is to be suggested that any expenditure made by the Government will be met from a tonnage tax on the fibre exported. MISCELLANEOUS. CHRISTCHURCH, 19th. May. The barque Solgran, which was arrested at Lyttelton on Saturday last under a. warrant of the Vice-Admiralty Court, in connection with a claim for salvage, was released this morning. It is understood that the owners and the insurance company interested in the vesse' have given a bond for the valub of the ship's caTgo and freight. Thevessel will now be able to make a siari to discharge her cargo. DUNEDIN, 19th May. James jack, employed as an engineer by the contractor for the construction of the tunnel at Waipori for the city corporation hydro-electric works, died suddenly to-day. He ceased work at midnight, and after having breakfast, returned to bed, where -he dkd almost immediacely afterwards. He was fortysix years old, and leaves a widow and one child. The Supremo Court action in which Joseph W-addell, school teacher, claimed £600 damages from Andrew Harvie for alleged malicious statements, was concluded to-day. The jury returned a verdict for plaintiff for £125 and costs. TIMARU, 19th May. The ballot for Clandeboye Settlement, suitable for dairy purposes, took place at Temuka to-day. For the 13 sections there were 114 applicants, 102 going to the ballot. There were no applications from the North Island. CHRISTCHURCH, 20th May. A slight magnetic storm wa* experl-

enced in Chrisichurch, commencing shortly after 3 p.m. yesterday, and coi> tanning with increasing strength until 8.20 p.m. Tho storm lasted until 4 a.m. to-day. It is extremely improbable that the storm is at all attribntable to the earth's passage through the comet's tail. In May and September last year magostic storms were experienced of greater strength than the one yesterday.