THE BOOTMAKERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 8819, 14 June 1889, Page 2

THE BOOTMAKERS.

CONSEQUENCES OP THE STRIKE.

(Bt our Special Reporter.) Speaking with one of the men yesterday, our representative, who was present at the several meetings of operatives this week, enquired what the probable outcome of the auiion of the men. would be. The reply he received was that the difficulty was m oadily , solving itself. Since the stoppage of Messrs Lightband, Allan and Co.’s works thirteen or fourteen men had left Canterbury for Melbourne, where they could always got work and make nearly, if not quite, as good wages as here. If the men persisted and a lock-out at Toomer’s followed, there would be a great many—perhaps thirty or forty more—leaving by the next boat, and so it would continue.

When asked if the Union would be likely tobreakup,hesaidit could not be broken up, because it was part and parcel of a worldwide Federation. If the members seceded from it, the funds would lapse into the Federation. There were about .£7OO in hand at the present time, which, if paid out to the men at federation strike wages, would not last the members long. For hia part, he was leaving in any case, as he saw no chance of the matter being amicably settled.

Meeting another of those present at Wednesday's meeting our representative gleaned from him that, under the circumstances of the case, and Toormr Bros, having made a very fair offer of adjustment, he doubted very much if the branches of the Federation mother towns in the Colony would support this branch in their present unreasonable stand. When asked how it was that the majority were so unreasonable, he replied to the effect that it was the junior members who where in favour of the strike. It paid them well enough to be on strike, and gave them a holiday. As it is, many of them live with their parents, to whom they pay little or no board, the rest of the money they earn they spend in amusement of a varied character. Hence, they did not trouble about working full time, and they rarely did so. As long as they made from 18s to 25s a week, they were content. If on strike, they could parade the streets, and draw J2l from the Union every week. It was doubtful whether that did not suit them best. These were the men who had ruled the meeting, and, as the speaker remarked, loyalty to the Union was therefore out of the question. The Secretary of the Union returned the proposals made by Mr Toomer to that gentleman yesterday with the decision arrived at on Wednesday, and Mr Toomer thereupon gave hia men to understand that as soon as the work in hand was finished they should go out. He declines to believe that many of the men will leave here for Australia, as the state of the trade there at the present time only gives half-employment to the men already there, and numbers are out of employment. The nature of the trade in Australia renders the work in the winter season very light; but in spring and summer there is always ample work for everybody.