WORK AND WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10662, 24 May 1895, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES.

[Special to Pbhss Association.J MELBOURNE, May 23. The Employers’ Union has resolved that any interference by the Government in the matter of wages, either as to a fixed minimum or any other scale, is detrimental to the interests of both employers and employes. [Peb Peess Association.] MASTEETON, May 23. A meeting of the unemployed was held here this morning, at which Mr Hogg, M.H.E., was urged to bring under the immediate notice of the Government the state of the labour market, with the view of providing work for the unemployed. It was also decided to.'tfjqrwsb tho Government to send no more unemployed to Wairarapa from other parts of "the colony at present. WELLINGTON, May 23. A deputation representing unemployed compositors waited on the Colonial Secretary this afternoon, urging that during the approaching session of Parliament their claims for employment in the Government Printing Office should be recognised. Upwards of forty men are idle, and it was urged that they should be taken on before outsiders. Sir Patrick Buckley asked the deputation to submit its views in writing, and promised that full inquiry should he made. DUNEDIN. May 23. The Court held that the purely mechanical part of dentistry, taken independently of the part performed by the operator, was a handicraft, and that dentistry rooms should bo registered as a factory. Mr Armstrong, the defendant, waa, consequently, fined in a nominal penalty. Notice of appeal was at once lodged. Mr Abraham Myers was fined 10s and coats in each of two cases for failing to give the employes in his factory a halfholiday. J. A. Faulkner was charged to-day with failing to pay a boy working for him for Good Friday and Easter Monday. The boy stated that though he received his wngesin full on the Saturday after Good Friday, 2s 6d waa deducted the following pay day, as waa stated by Faulkner to be the case. Faulkner denied the deduction of more than 6d, which waa for Saturday. Faulkner, who said he intended dispensing with all boys under eighteen, was fined 20s and costa £2 la Gd.

At the annual meeting of the Trades and Labour Council the balance-sheet was deemed to be very satisfactory. Mr S. O. Brown was re-elected president and M? R. Slater secretary. A motion was carried congratulating the Government on the success attending the floating of the 3 per cent loan, which it was considered will be of benefit not only to farmers but to tho whole community.

CHRISTCHURCH OPERATIVE BOOTMAKERS’ SOCIETY.

Tho summoned half-yearly meeting of the Christchurch Operative Bootmakers’ Society was held at Inglis' Building on Wednesday evening. There was a good attendance of members. Mr J. A. Kemp, president, occupied tho chair. Tho balancesheet, duly audited, was received and adopted. It showed the society to be in a very sound financial state. The Benevolent Committee submitted an exhaustive report, showing that assistance had been given to men Who could not find a subsistence at the trade here, to sack hotter fortune in Australia. Other help had also been rendered by the committee to tho members of the union. Mr H. Ambridga was elected president, Mr Hannam vicepresident, Mr H. Milligan treasurer and Mr S. B. Crooke secretary. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr W, J. Osborne for his untiring zeal during tho timo of his secretaryship. A number of matters of detail were disposed of and the meeting terminated. THE ENGLISH BOOTMAKERS’ STRIKE. [Per San Francisco Mail.] The Leicester correspondent of the London Daily News writes on April 14, as follows:—“ A serious feature of the strike of the bootmakers is the rapid growth of American eompstition in tho trade. Three tons of American boots and shoes have been delivered in a single day to Leicester dealers, at prices cheaper than they could be purchased from Leicester manufacturers. For instance, American-made Indies’ kid bools, eighlponce per pair cheaper than the same quality of Englishmade boot.” Oomim-ndng on the foregoing, the Daily News ways that at this rate there will soon be little left for the English manufacturers or operatives to contend for.