WORK AND WAGES.

Evening Star, Issue 8409, 9 January 1891, Page 2

WORK AND WAGES.

(By Elsotbio Xelbosapb.— j [Per Press Association.)

LONDON, January 3.

At the instigation of Mr John Barn* 3,000 dockers have gone out on strike out of sympathy with the railway men. The traders and manufacturers suffer worse than the railway companies, as many of the works are stopped for want of coal. The railway men assert that they are overworked, but they are seceding from the position they have taken up. The loss to the North British Railway Company by the strike is estimated at L 30.000.

The Scotch railways have lost L 70.000 through the strike. The Miners’ Federation are holding a con] ference in Birmingham, 150,000 men being represented. The delegates are collecting funds to assist the railway men on strike.

Steps are being taken to consolidate the Auckland Employers’ Association on a firm and permanent basis, and it has been decided to confer with the Trades and Labor Council and Knights of Labor to the establishment of a board of conciliation.

An interesting report by Mr, J. Burnett, labor correspondent to the Board of Trade, on the strikes that occurred in 1889 in Great Britain, has just been issned. From this it appears that in 1889 strikes took place in 3,164 establishments in England. As in 1888, and due to the same reason—namely, a rising labor market—67 per cent, of the strikes were dne to claims for advanced wages, although in some cases there were other points of dispute also involved. Of those for advances in wages 48.3 per cent, were successful. The proportion of those partially successful was 31.5 per cent.; 10.7 per cent, were not at all successful, and the results were unknown in the remaining strikes. Of the financial aspect of strikes some interesting particulars are given. Taking 597 of the strikes, the loss of wages is estimated at L 652.000, while the loss to each individual would be a little over L 3 ss. For 934 of the strikes the loss for the 344,848 persons engaged is taken at LI, 122.500. In 216 instances it is shown by employers whose men have been on strike that the value of fixed capital laid idle was L 14,450,962; while in 169 instances the rateable value of property laid idle was L 268.684. In 233 strikes the estimated outlay caused for laying down and reopening the works on strike was L 169,*219. On the other hand, the returns sent in by trade unions show that in 369 strikes the amount expended in support of men by strike committees or trades unions was L 63.636. The returns also show that in 446 strikes the weekly wages earned before the stoppages amounted in the aggregate to L 153.504; while the estimated lose of wages in 292 of these strikes was L 294.175.

Captain £. G. Bonrke has been appointed to the command of H.M.S. Ringarooma, and Captain T. P. Nesham to the command of H.M.S. Tauranga.