WORK AND WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10601, 9 March 1895, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES.

AN IMPENDING STRIKE. [Special to Press Association.] LONDON, March 7. . A great strike in the boot trade is expected at Leicester and Northampton, MELBOURNE, March 8. ■ . The Amalgamated Miners’ Asaofciation is considering a proposal to strike £ levy of s shilling per member, with the object of leasing a mine and working it under the freedom of contract principle. The Presbyterian General Assembly has adopted a report in favour of the establishment of a co-operative labour settlement, and haa appointed a committee to submit a scheme, and inaugurate the movement. Only Presbyterians, married, with families, will be admitted as members, and the Board of Control will be chosen by the General Assembly, ■ RAILWAY SERVANTS. The annual general meeting of members of the Canterbury branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway , Servants was held on Thursday evening in. the hall, of the Sydenham Working-Men’s Club. There'" was a large attendance of/members, and, Mr W. Clxmpson pccuuied the chair. j-' - ’ The Chairman briefly reviewed the year's work, and congratulated the members - upon the satisfactory progress made by the branch and the society generally. Ha referred to the recent between “ the General Manager of E always and the deputation appointed at the late annual conference in Palmerston North, and predicted considerable benefit to railway men generally as the probable result. Ha alluded in feeling, terms to the, members whose names appeared pa the death roll, and pointed to the Death Fuad as having bean the means of materially lightening ' the burdens of those who were oereft-of their bread-winners. , He-reminded those present that as a labour federation they ' had a coble future before them, and that, with increased numerical strength and careful and judicious guidance,,their in- / fluenee might be such in the years to come as not only to secure the; well-being of railway men, but also to assist materially i in furthering the movements for.the betterment of the workers generally. He assured \ the members that although leaving office he should continue to take an active interest in the welfare of the branch, and farther its interest to the fullest extent of - his capacity t , - ,

Correspondence was received from the executive stating that intimation had been received from the. Registrar that the Society could not be registered under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. It was resolved—" That it be a request to tho executive to at onca place the matter before the Minister of Labour.”

Mr W. Haig, one of the auditors, submitted the annual balance - sheet and auditors’ report, which were considered highly satisfactory, and were adopted. , A resolution approving of the committee’s action in issuing circulars to members, and other branches, containing part of tbs report of the last quarterly general meeting, which had been sent for publication in the Review and had not appeared, was negatived by the adoption of a motion to proceed to the next business. Correspondence relative to a question at issue between the Branch Secretary and the Executive was submitted to the meeting, end, after due consideration, it was resolved, with but one dissentient—* 1 That the meeting desires to express tho fullest confidence in the Branch Secretary.” Regarding the admission of members, it was resoivdd—“That in future, whenever a ballot is demanded, two adverse votes out of every five recorded shall preclude admission.” , Officers for the ensuing term were elected as follows:—Chairman, Mr J. Dawson; vice-chairman, Mr K. Thompson; members of committee, Messrs A. Weir, J. Woodbury, J. Currie and W. Logan. Messrs J. Chalmers and B. Phillips were reelected. There being no further business,; the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the retiring officers and members of committee end to the Chairman. . .