WORK AND WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12559, 22 July 1901, Page 6

WORK AND WAGES.

[Pur Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 20. , A Conference of representatives of the various New Zealand sections of the Australian Federated 'Seamen's Union will be held in Wellington next week, when matters of importance ■ with regard to new agreements with shipowners will be gone into.

The recommendations of the Conciliation Board with regard to the printing machinists' case are that all places other than Wellington, Napier and Wanganui should be classed as country offices. , In the three towns named, letterpress journeymen machinists are to get a minimum wage of £2 18s and lithographic hands £3 per week of forfcy-five hours, and in the country offices £2 10s for the same hours. ' Country office arrangements as to overtime and holidays are to remain as- they axe at present, but in the three principal towns nine holidays, including Easter Saturday, are provided for. The country offices are to arrange how the hours shall be worked, and the country employers are to arrange with their men as to the number of machines. The proportion of apprentices is to be one boy to three men. All apprentices are to be indentured for six years, and in the three towns named they shall start at 7s 6d per week, with a rise of 2s 6d every six months. The settlement is to.hold good for two years. The city employers have intimated their intenticvn of taking the dispute to the Arbitration Court. ,

At a meeting of rejpresehtatives of .eight Unions, held in Tinuaru on Saturday night, it was resolved to recommend the Unions to form a local Trades and Labour Council, and to set up a committee of two from each to formulate,a constitution and draw up rules. A motkm recommending that efforts be made to have South Canterbury proclaimed a separate industrial district was negatived. It was resolved to convene a meeting of farm labourers next Saturday for the purpose of. forming a Union.