WORK AND WAGES.

Evening Star, Issue 10402, 25 August 1897, Page 3

WORK AND WAGES.

THE SHIPPING DISPUTE,

The Conciliation Board sat again at Auckland yesterday, and, the case of the Northern Steamship Company being closed, the cases of A. M'Gregor (manager for the steamers Kai Ora, Rose Casey, and Maori), Captain Shaw (of the Terranora), and Leyland and O'Brien (owners of the Stella) were gone into. Captain Brandwood (of the steamer Akaroa) did not appear, but it is understood that he cast in his lot with the other steamship owners. The Board will sit in camera to-day to consider the evidence, and will probably give their award to-morrow.

In his evidence before the Board, Mr Ranson, manager of the Northern Steamship Company, stated that a calculation showed that what the union asked for would involve approximately an additional expenditure of £3,500 per annum. The proposal made by the company, annexed to their letter of the 28th July, 1897, it was considered, fairly and generously met any demand for increased consideration to any of the men interested. To carry into effect these proposals would involve an additional expenditure approximately of £1,500 per annum, but the company were prepared to expend this sum rather than disturb the present relations with their men.

Mr Shera. asked if Mr Ranson was prepared to inform the Board how he hoped to reimburse hia company the £1,500 per annum that he was prepared to concede V Mr Ranson replied : That is a very grave consideration. It seems to us that there are only three things to be done. First, we will have to lay up some of our vessels and do away with some employment; another course will be to pub oil engines into our smaller veß3els. We may also have to raise the charge for passages, as we oannot increase freights j and wo may have to reduce the hands, as we are now carrying over the number of men required by the Act. The other men will have to work a little harder, but we shall have to consider these points when the Board of Directors meet.

The International Workmen's Congress, which is sitting at Zurich, passed a resolution congratulating the British workers on their magnificent fight for the eight-hour principle.