WAR ON COSTS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11403, 2 January 1931, Page 5

WAR ON COSTS

■ RATIO NINO ,OR DISMISSAL

SECRET BALLOTS IN SYDNEY (TUP A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Jan. 1, 11 p.m.)

SYDNEY, Jan. 1

,■ The Morning Herald states that ;the shop, assistants in a. number of ; large establishments have intimated that they are prepared to continue rationing rather than face dismissal which they realise the Government’s latest -decision must mean for large numbers. "Secret ballots' in two big city stores resulted overwhelmingly jin favor of, rationing. • -In-'one ciisoya union official- appeared during the process of the balloting :and protested, whereupon he was ordered off the premises: Subsequently be explained the grounds of his Jprot-eSt': “Although the entire staff [had been ashed to decide whether they favored the present system of rationing, only one-third of the em- • ployees had been , rationed. It was unfair to hold a. ballot among those not affected by the rationing.” AStHOTJR week'in westralia tIJ.P.A. hy Elec. Tel. Copyright) » :. v PERTH, Jan. 1. The State Arbitration Court- has made an order covering employees in the government. service, increasing the working hours to fortyeight per week. HOME MINING DISPUTE . (Received Jan. 1, 7 p.m.s , LONDON. Jan. 1. The Miners’ Federation has officially announced that it has instructed the South Wales miners not to work To-morrow., It is hoped the stoppage will be brief. Negotiations, will be re-opened /before instructions are issued- Strenuous... efforts are being made by representatives of the Mines Department, who consulted the miners’ leaders and approached the chairman of the .Coal Owners’ Federation, who refused to depart from the terms already offered. Tlie Treasury returns for the nine months ending to-night show a deficit of 180 millions compared with 1 170 millions for the similar period of last year. The figures indicate the prohabiity of a substantial deficit at the’end of the "Budget year.

THREAT OF MINERS’ STRIFE IN RUHR •

(U .P- 4 by Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Jan. 1. 5 p.m.) LONDON. Dpc .11. The Times Berlin correspondent says that a strike of three hundred thousand miners is threatened in the Ruhr owing to the collapse of negotiations: The employers are demanding an eight per cent, wage cut oh January 15. The miners will not accept more than a four per cent. cut.