WORK AND WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12562, 25 July 1901, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES.

[Per Press Association.] , WELLINGTON, July 24. The Arbitration Court is taking local evidence, with a view of elucidating the case of the ChristchurSu Operative Butchers' Union against Messrs Forrester and Co. At the conclusion of ths evidence, the Court stated that it would hear further witnesses in Christchurch on Monday week.

EMPLOYERS A'. D THE FACTORIES BILL.

A meeting of factory-owners in Timaru was held on Tuesday evening, to protest against the passing of the Factories Bill. There were twenty persons present, representing a dozen, trades aaid an aggregate yearly wage disbursement of £51,000. Mr J. G. Grandi (coach-builder and agricultural implement works) presided. The discussion followed as a text to some extent the report of the conclusions of the committee ol the Chrisbohurch Employers' Association. The Chairman objected to journeymen, who could look after themselves, being treated as if they were women or boys. The payment for holidays, adding 11 per cent to the wages outlay, was more than his business would l stand. Mr Anderson (boot manufacturer) said his trade was cut so fine that a very little more strain would make all the difference between a paying and a non-paying business. The cutting-down of hours could not be satisfactorily met- by cutting down wages, as this would mean reducing the spending power cf the community, and the cost of living would not bear •reduction of wages. At the eaane time it was an insane proposal to pay men for walking about the streets. Mr Evans (flour-miller), who was unable to attend, sent a fetter, in which he said the labour legislation is playing into the hands of manufacturers outside the colony. It was absurd to put in one category the man who carried bags ofi wheat ■all day with the man who supervised machinery with' his coat on. At Dunedin it had been ruled that customers had been driven out of business at Dunedin, and they had had themselves to reduce the number of their employees. Mr Kent (clothing and also cabinet-making) \strongly condemned' the Bill, which he believed to be the work of a crank, Mr Tregear, and he was inclined to 'believe that the Ministers did act know what the Bill contained. He did not himself fear the Bill, because he was working under similar conditions to those proposed, but he objected to being subjected to or liable to coercion in such matters. Mr Lillico (woollen factory) compared the conditions of manufacturing here and elsewhere, the difference leaving a very small margin for success. There had been no demand whatever for the new provisions. The meeting resolved to telegraph to the Premier and the member for Timaru, requesting that the Bill should be dropped a» oppressive and not in the interests of either employers or employees, and a. committee was set up to formulate objections to be sent by letter.