WORK AND WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14428, 19 July 1907, Page 7

WORK AND WAGES.

■ . ■ ■ <— —- NEW SOUTH WALES COAL LUMPERS. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received July IS, 1.9 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 18. Through tho intervention of Mr Hughes, secretary of the Seamen's Union, a conference between represent tatives of the Colliery Owners’ Association and the Coal Lumpers’ Union and Mr Hughes was held to-day. The employers made certain proposals, which will be submitted for the consideration of the men. The president of the Trades Hall Council to-night made the statement that the whole trouble would be concluded in a day or two, CONCILIATION BOARD. BUTCHERS’ DISPUTE. [Bek Press Association.! AUCKLAND, July 18. The sitting of the Conciliation Board to inquire into the demands of the Auckland slaughtermen was resumed yesterday morning, when evidence in support of the master butchers’counterproposals was given. In opening the case for the employers Air Grosvener said that he felt convinced that already th© Board had ample evidence before it to enable it to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. He did not propose to examine the witnesses at great length. James Binstoad, master butcher, said that ho had occupied that position for twenty-five years, and bad also done slaughtering. Ho d : d not consider it was dangerous work, and had not known of any disease contracted by slaughtering. Other witnesses gave similar evidence, and the matter was further adjourned. FARM -WORKERS’ UNION. A very largo and enthusiastic meeting was held in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Gust, on "Wednesday evening, under the auspices of the Farm Workers’ Union. Mr J. A. M’Cullough (president of the Union) presided and spoke at length on the history and development of the Trades Union movement. He described the great growth of the movement in Groat Britain, stating that _ the Trades Unions had a membership of 2.500,000. The wage-earners of New Zealand had not taken advantage of the opportunities provided by the Legislature to tho extent that might have been expected, and tho apathy was a reproach to the country workers. The town workers were fairly well organised, and compared more than favourably in their organisation with,'tho town workers of Great Britain. If tho country workers would realise their responsibilities and would embrace the opportunities provided for them, the reproach upon, their intelligence could be removed. It had been, argued that an increase of wages to the employees would tend to destroy tho agricultural industry, but tho same contention had V-en need in Great Britain for tho past fifty years. Tho manufacturers had declared that any increase of wages to the worker would drive trade cut of tbo country ; but bo could quote figures to show that the trade of Great Britain bad increased enormously. _ and a greater volume of trade was being done in Britain than ever before. He was prepared to say that tho agricultural industry of Canterbury must also increase, and an increase'in the wages and improvement in the working condi. tions would improve tho industry by inducing a better class of men to come into the country. Good men bad been driven into tho towns bv the f-ordid-nrss of their country surroundings and the poor wages which the fanners had paid. Mr E. Kennedy (ibo Union’s organiser) .also (-.poke at some length of his experiences as organiser. After tho meeting n. verv large number of workers joined tjio Union, and officers were elected for tho Cast branch-