WORK AND WAGES.

Evening Star, Issue 14636, 4 August 1911, Page 10

WORK AND WAGES.

conciliation council. The Conciliation Council (Mr Triggs presiding) at Invercargill yesterday considered another section of the dispute between the €»eneral Laborers' Union and the public iodies and contractors. In the ttatement Ct claim 6 submitted by the union the clauses relating to the minimum rite of •wages for work in dirty places, piecework, and the payment of wages were referred to : tho Arbitration Court for consideration. | The other. clauses were adopted outright I or in an amended form. In tho afternoon the coumil cor..s : dered the claims made on behalf "of the corpora- I tion gasworks employees by t ! ;c Gfjirral Laborers* Union. The torpor-moil reore- [ sentatives at- the outset opposed .-.n award | being made which should app.y to gasworkers ae members of such a cctnpreh<=ntive body as the General Laborers' Union, j They held that the conditions of the gac- j workers in the municipal trading concern j were entirely different from those of the | bulk of the laborers who formed the union, j They were not opposed to unionism, but thought that the gaeworkers- :>s a skilled body of man should form a union :•! their own, and get an award to apply to themselves alone. The Commissioner su : .d lie ixmld do nothing to bring about a tecciiciliation. He expressed himself us beiny; favorably disposed to the idea of the for- i toation of a gasworkers' union. The union j representatives pointed out that their object was to prevent a multiplicity of j unions, and thereby lessen tho cost of administration. A memorandum was prepared by the Clerk of Awards for the intoraation of the Arbitration Court, embodying the objections of tho respondent borough. SJIEEPOWXERS' UNION". The Oiago and Southland Sheepowners* Industrial Union of Employers met in the board loom of the Agricultural Hall yes- j terday. The following offiee-bea.r.n\-; were elected:—President, "Mr John Angus;] vice-president, Mx Watson Shennan ; com- j niittee—Messrs James A. D- Bell, R. Scott, J. Lethbridge, R. M. Turnbull, j C. W- Rattray, J. C. Nkholls, John j Roberts, C-M G.," James Robeits, R. Guar- j ters, James Chapman, William Laidia-w, : James Elliott, R. Acton-Adams, J. E. ' Watson, W. J. A. Macgregor, A. Murdoch. : 11. M'Kenzie, and James Begg. Two im- j portant industrial disputes were discussed j —one relating to the wool (lasers and \ the other to general farm hands. A resolu- i tion was passed asking the New Zealand j Nheepowners' Federation to take the | matter into their hands, with a view to the adoption of a Dominion awaid ;n each ease, so that the same wages and conditions T»iU applv to the whole of Xew Zealand. Mersrs J. Begg, J. C. Nichols, and R. M'Kenzie were appointed on the executive* of the New Zealand Sheepowners' Federation. Mr Labatt, secretary of the Bhecpowners* Federation, was present, and was welcomed by the members of the association. ' TRADES AXD LABOR COUNCIL. The Otago Trades and Labor Council met last evening. It -was resolved to place on record the council's- appreciation of tho noble, services rendered in the causa of humanity by the late Mr T. E. Taylor and their lament at his untimely death. Exception was taken to the statement appearing in the Press to the. effect that taa support of tha Labor organisations would t» given to Mr H. D. Bedford as a candidate for Dunedin West, in preference w> Mr J. W.' Mcnro. So far as tho Trades and Labor Council were concerned the merits of neither Mr Bedford nor Mr Munro had been considered. Professor Mills delivered an address on the subject of his effort* to bring about •unity among the LaboT 'organisations in New Zealand. At the close of his address Piofetsoi Mills was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, and the council expressed their approval of the principles cu whicli his unity campaign is based.