INDUSTRIAL MATTERS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 122, 8 May 1912, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL MATTERS.

MINERS AND POLITICS. [PRESS ASSOCIATION COPYRIGHT.] Melbourne, May 8. The annual conference of I - ederated Miners of Australia report that it is urgent and imperative that miners should become an active political organisation. RAILWAYMEN DEMAND 8-HOUR DAY. Sydney, May 8.

The railwaymen are agitating for an eight-hour day and there are threats of a strike.

BREACH OF TAILORS’ AWARD

Wellington, May 7

Mr. C. Carmody, Inspector of Awards, proceeded against George Davies, Lmited, tailors, Willis street, in the Magistrate’s Court to-day to enforce penalties for breaches of the Wellington tailors’ award. It was alleged against the defendants that they had allowed bespoke work to be done under the team system, also that they had allowed work (the order for which had been taken in the firm’s shop in Will’s si reel) to be done on other premises. It was stated by the inspector that the defendants had a factory in Blair street in which shop orders were supposed to be executed. Part of these premises were also rented by another firm. On April 3rd on order was taken at Davies’ shop in Willisstreet, and the work was done under the team system in Blair street lay employers of another firm. Picas of guilty were entered by the manager of the firm, and a fine of S 5 was imposed for each offence.

FURNITURE TRADE WORKERS

Wellington, May 7

Representatives of the New Zealand Federated Furniture Trades Workers’ Association waited on the Minister of Labour, the Hon. G. Laurcnson, to-night, and submitted resolutions passed at the furniture workers’ conference last March.

Mr. D. Moriarty, secretary, said a difficulty had arisen over apprentices through the present and- previous awards clashing. A recent ruling of the Arbitration Court meant that there was no provision to give apprentices the increased wages to which the unions claimed they were entitled. They wanted an amendment to make section 69 of the amending Act clear. The Workers’ Compensation Act should be amended to compel employers to insure their workmen. The union was net frightened of the big employer, but of the small man with no plant or stock as a guarantee of payment. Legislation was sought to prevent insurance companies compromising with the victims of accidents, and to define when a worker is deemed to be dismissed. The deputation desired that the employment of agents before the Conciliation Counc’ls should be prohibited unless with the consent of all the parties. They also asked that in the cases of breaches prosecuted by the union, where the department had declined to take action, the unions should be allowed the full penalties. The. Minister, in reply, said he was gratified to note the conciliatory tone adopted by the federation in relation to the employers. He could not understand the decision of the Arbitration Court in the case concerning apprentices referred to by Mr. Moriarty. He believed the latter’s reading of section 69 was correct. The request for the compulsory insurance of workers was reasonable, and he would see what could be clone. He sympathised with the request for the abolition of agents, holding that the main purpose of the Conciliation Councils was that there should be nobody present to foment mischief. He would look into the request as to the bringing of cases, but it should be noted that for every case brought by a union twenty-six were brought by the department, which seemed to show that the department was not neglecting its duty. THE GREEN ISLAND STRIKE. Dunedin, May 7. There has been practically no alteration in the. position in regard to the Green Island coal mining dispute. Mr. P. Webb, president of the NewZealand Federation of Labour, arrit - ed nt Dunedin by the first express to-day, and proceeded to Fairfield with Mr Kidd, secretary of the Otago Coalminers’ Lnion. A very large meeting of miners was held to-night, but the discussion was mostly confined to the aims and objects of Federation of Labour. An adjourned meeting of the Green Island coalpit owners was held this afternoon, when Messrs Christie Bros, stated that, as the maintenance men had gone cut with the rest of the men. the existing fires in the •nines had got out of hand, necessitating the scaling up of the mine on Monday, which means that the present section will bo closed for months at least. In the meantime another section of the fields will be opened tip. and by forced shifts it is hoped, in a very short time, to have places for a number of men.

TINSMITHS' AWARD. Auckland, Alav 8

The Arbitration Court, as the result of the conference between the parties in the tinsmiths’ dispute, made the award to conform to those made in the South, with the exemption of galvanizing (an Auckland industry). The Court declined to include Gisborne in the award.

CARTERS' DISPUTE. Auckland, Alav 7.

At the Arbitration Court, to-day. when the matter of a dispute between the Carters' Union and the employers was called on. Air. Davis (for the union) said that, with the view cf obtaining a Dominion award, the local application would be withdrawn if the employers would give an undertaking that they would register as a federation. At the ruggestion cf the court the cast was allowed to stand over to enable this to be done.