LABOUR MATTERS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 54, 14 February 1911, Page 1

LABOUR MATTERS.

N.S.W. COLLIERS ON STRIKE. F SPSS ASSOCIATION. —COPYBIGH Z. j Sydney, Feb. 13. Owing to a reduction of wages following the reduction in the declared price of coal, the Pacific Colliery miners refused to start work.

Fears are expressed that the example will be followed in other mines in the Teralba district.

PAINTERS’ WORK-HOURS.

(Received 14, 9.35 a.m.) Sydney, Feb. J 4. Employees in the painting trade are moving in the Arbitration Court for a 44 hours week. Builders ” are strongly opposing the pamters’ demands.

HOUSING THE WORKERS.

MINIMUM RENT BILL URGED.

The Labour Conference discussed the question of shortage of houses suitable for the working-classes, the high and increasing rents in Sydney, and the proposal that Government should take immediate steps to establish industrial villages under such conditions as to enable every worker to secure his own home. The conference eventually adopted a resolution urging Government to pass a Minimum Rent Bill.

TIMBER SORTERS’ STRIKE.

(Received 14, 10.30 a.m.) Melbourne, Feb. 14.

The Premier offered to act as mediator in the timber sorters’ and stackers’ strike.

An unexpected development has arisen in the number of tally clerks affected by the action of the strikers who have refused to continue work.

Altogether, 430 men are out of work.

All timber vessels are stopped, except those to South Australia.

N.Z. LUMPERS. DRASTIC STEPS THREATENED [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Feb. 13. A meeting of the Executive of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Federation, under the presidency of Mr. J. Jackson, of Greymouth, to-day considered the Patea waterside workers’ trouble. They met the representatives of the shipping companies interested and discussed all the matters in dispute at some length. The owners declined to allow Mr. Hally to mediate, and the conference proved abortive. Subsequently the President (Mr. Jackson) announced that the Federation had decided to telegraph to every union in affiliation with the Federation and to communicate with all organised labour unions throughout New Zealand with the object’ of taking drastic steps.