WORK AND WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10111, 9 August 1893, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES.

| [Special to Peess Association.] j LONDON, August 7. The Northumberland mino owners refuse to concede tho advance in wages demanded by the men. Owing to the coal strike thousands of railway hands have been, dismissed, and work in the locomotive shops has been suspended. August 8. Tbe Durham mine-owners have refused to make any advance in wages, but offer to submit the question to ! arbitration. | The miners of Kinross and Fife- ! ahire will strike for an advance.. | PARIS, August 7. The Socialists and the Labour Exchange are promoting a general . strike, to begin in October, for an advance in wages. [Pek Pbess Association.] WELLINGTON, August 8. The Trades Councils’ Conference endorsed the principle of compulsory arbitration, as contained in the Industrial Conciliation Bill, and also the appointment of a Supreme Court Judge as President of the Arbitration Board. The federation scheme was considered, and after considerable debate it was resolved-—“ That the ; resolution passed at tha conference at ■'Dunedin be adhered to, anti that the provisional executive for a federation scheme for the ensuing twelve months should remain in Wellington.” With reference to the electoral platform it was resolved—- " That this conference takes no steps to form a political platform.” Mr J. Kelly, M.H.E., reported that a conference of shearers had been held iu tho South Island, at which two thousand men were represented, the federal ucheme had been approved, and it was their intention to have representation on tho Federal Council when it was carried into effect.

BAILWAY INSURANCE BILL. A general meeting of railway employees was held at the Railway Station on Saturday night for the purpose of receiving the report of the Christchurch delegates to the recent conference, held in Wellington. The following report has been supplied: — There was a moderate attendance, and Mr Pilkingtoa, as Chairman of the Christchurch Central Committee, occupied the chair. The Chairman in opening the meeting said that at a Committee meeting held on August 2, it was decided to call the general meeting then assembled, and went on to detail the events that had occurred since the last general meeting of employees in February last. He said, at that meeting a Committee was elected to clo the best it could in the interests of tho Bill. A circular had been sent out with petition forms; the southern and north sections had been communicated with, impressing upon them the desirableness of soma con» moa action, and explaining what it was proposed to do on the Christchurch section regarding getting up a patition in favour of the Bill, with tho hope of inducing the Government to take up the Bill this session. The result of the petition on the Canterbury section was that over 600 employees had petitioned the Government to introduce the Bill into tho House. In May last a proposition was received from the Dunedin Committee to hold a conference in Wellington to consider the Insurance Bill, with the hope of obtaining a general agreement respecting the provisions of the Bill and uniform action amongst the employees on all sections for its advancement. A considerable amount of correspondence on this proposition took place between the various sections, with the result that all agreed to the proposal. Tho date of the conference was left in tho hands of the Dunedin Committee, it being its proposal, to settle. On July 6 a Committee meeting was held in Christchurch for the purpose of forwarding the Canterbury petition to tho Government, and at which the subject of the conference was discussed. It was decided to fall in with the suggestion, and a circular dated July 7 was drafted and sent to every station, also distributed to employees in the chief centres, informing them of the proposed conference, that the Committee proposed to elect two delegates and asking for the approval or otherwise of the proposed action. A large numbsr of replies were received, all signifying approval. On J uiy 8 notice was received from Dunedin that the date of the conference was fired for July 17, and asking that the Christchurch delegates should be at once appointed. A meeting of the Committee was called and held on July 11, at which three gentlemen, Messrs Efford, M’llroy and Barr wore proposed as delegates, and of whom Mr Efford was elected. It was also notified that Mr Gray, tho Secretary, had been appointed by tho Greymouth section as its representative, and he was requested by the Christchurch Committee to act in conjunction with the Christchurch delegate, Mr Efford. On Wednesday night, July 12, at a general meeting of employees, held in Timaru, Mr Burd was elected as delegate from Timaru and tho three gentlemen named, together with the southern delegates, left for Wellington on Saturday, July 15. The delegates would themselves detail the proceedings after this time, but he would like to say that from his knowledge of matters, good work had been done by the conference, many knotty points had been settled, valuable alterations had been made in the Bill and conceded by the Commissioners, and he for one sincerely hoped the Government would take up the Bill and settle a matter which had been agitating the minds of the railway employees for some considerable time. He’ was confident that if this was done the service would in the future thank the Government for a benefit which was scarcely yet appreciated by some, but which the majority saw clearly would be of immense service to all. He would now ask the delegates, Messrs Efford and Gray, to address the meeting. The delegates then gave full details of the meeting and results of the conference. They mentioned that all the proceedings of the conference, together with the amended Bill, were being printed, and each employee would receive a copy. They particularly desired to place on record the considerate and kindly manner they bad been treated by all with whom they came in contact at Wellington. The Commissioners had met them fairly and freely, and had discussed the various suggestions for the amendment of tho Bill with the delegates. The Premier had kindly granted them au interview, at which the merits and demerits of the Bill, and the proposed amendments, were discussed. A number of members of the House of Representatives had been interviewed, and it was believed that the result would be of great benefit to the railway service. An employee asked for information respecting the sick pay concession and the present privileges regarding sick pay. The Chairman and delegates explained that there were no regulations respecting sick pay except in respect to accidents, but under the concessions now granted it was understood that in the future all employees would in the event cf the Insurance Bill passing be granted half-pay sick pay during either sickness or accident.

Mr Kerr moved—“ That this meeting having beard the report of the delegates deems it highly satisfactory, and accords them a hearty vote of thanks for the work done in Wellington.’"’ He said the Bill was now in the arena of practical politics, and would, if passed into law, be of great service to every employee, Mr Hatch seconded cue motion which, was carried unanimously. The delegates briefly thanked the meeting. Mr Winter moved a hearty vote of thanks to the Chairman for the impartial manner in which he had conducted the meeting and for the courtesy shown by him to the Sailway Union m ifca endeavour to get delegates accepted to accompany the others to the recent conference. Mr hl’liroy, in seconding the motion, said Ms. JJwkqws and himself who.,

waited on the Chairman with the proposal respecting further delegates to accompany those appointed. They were questioned very closely as to their object, and when the Chairman was satisfied as to the bona fide and friendly nature of their request, he did his very best to have effect given to it. He wished to testify to the manly and straightforward manner in which the Chairman had conducted every meeting hold on the Insurance question in Christchurch during the past two or three years, and on behalf of all the men he desired to say that whenever the Chairman had an opportunity of throwing oil on troubled waters he did so. The motion was carried by acclamation. The Chairman thanked tho meeting for its kindness. He bad done nothing but what he considered his duty as from one man to another. The question of officer or man, unionist or non-unionist, had not entered into his mind or influenced his conduct at any meeting, and ho hoped it never would. He regretted it was impossible to defer tbe conference at their request, as one delegate was at the time already on his way to Wellington. Ho might never reap any benefit from tho Bill, but he was confident that there were large numbers of employees present or absent, who would. The meeting then closed.

TAILOEESSES AND PEESSEES’ UNION. A meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Tailoressea and Prossers' Federated Union was hold oa Monday night. Professor Biekorfcon, President, occupied the chair. Tho Secretary read the monthly report, which was dealt with. Correspondence from the Auckland Tailoresses’ Upion was reau*'and received. Two auditors wore ‘ elected and nominations of officers, executive and two sub-Committecs for the ensuing year were received. Two honorary members, namely, Mr E. W. Bailey and Mrs Birch, were unanimously elected. The meeting considered the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill, and the following resolution was passed “That this branch of tho Federated Tailoresses and Preseers’ Union of New Zealand respectfully bring under the notice of both Houses of Parliament the fact that all attempts made to bring about reforms by voluntary arbitration in the clothing trade of New Zealand have been frustrated, directly or indirectly, by the employers, with a few exceptions, particularly in Christchurch and Auckland, in which cities sweating exists to the detriment of the workers. Therefore we urgently appeal to have passed this session the Compulsory Conciliation and Arbitration Bill, which is, in our opinion, the only equitable and just moans whereby justice can be brought about to employers and employed," This brought the business portion of the meeting to a close, and tho members then, for about two hours, enjoyed themselves in a social evening. The Labour Bureau sent another batch of sixteen men to the works at Cheviot last night by the steamer Wakatu,