WORK AND WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 9646, 11 February 1892, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES.

[Special to Press Association, j [Received Peb. 11, at 1.15 a.m.] LONDON, Feb. 10. The ballot of the Durham miners is adverse to a reduction iu wages. [Per Press Association.] NAPIER, Feb. 10. One contractor under the County Council threw up his contract, forfeiting the deposit, and another had to ask for an extension of time, owing to the difficulty in obtaining labour. BOOT MACHINISTS’ UNION. The half-yearly meeting of the Christchurch Boot Machinists’ and Fitters’ Union was held on Monday evening, in the Temperance Hall, the President, Mr H. Milligan, in the chair. There was a very large attendance of members. Correspondence was received from the Dunedin branch, asking for the Union’s opinion on several important questions. It was decided to elect a Special Committee to consider the questions and report to the next general meeting. The half-yearly balancesheet of the local Union, which was very satisfactory, was read and adopted. Several applications were made for membership, and it was decided to admit the applicants at the usual entrance fee. Some matters of detail were attended to and the meeting terminated.

AMALGAMATED SHEARERS AND LABOURERS’ UNION.

A preliminary meeting of members of the above was held in the Trades Hall, High street, last evening, to receive a report from Mr J. R. McDonald, delegate from the Amalgamated Shearers’ Union of Australasia. Mr C. J. Rae being in the chair. Mr M'Donald reported that since his arrival in December last on an organising tour through Otago and Southland, some eleven hundred members were enrolled. Generally speaking, the movement was taken up enthusiastically. Ten new branches had already been formed, which, with those previously existing at Oamaru, Timaru, Geraldine and Temuka, afford ample encouragement for further prosecuting the work of organisation. A general feeling prevailed that in order to secure the full advantages of unionism, an amalgamation of all the branches was desirable. Owing to a number of resident members not having yet returned from the shearing, whilst others were engaged harvesting, it was deemed advisable to postpone the formation of a central branch till later in the season. In the meantime, Mr C. J. Rae has been appointed as authorised agent of the Union at Christchurch, all communications to be addressed to him at his residence, 63, Kilmore street east. Mr W. Martin moved the customary vote to the chairman which was carried by acclamation.