WELLINGTON NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14610, 18 February 1908, Page 8

WELLINGTON NOTES.

♦_ [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, February 17. Most of the awards under tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act contain a clause giving preference of employment to unionists, that is to say, if there are capablo trades unionists out of employment and an employer does not give the first chance of work to thoso men whose names are found on tho employment book he commits a breach of the award. It is quite open to an unemployed unionist to do as ho like* in selecting an employer provided he has a range of choice, so that the preference is one-sided. However, tho parties to tho agreement in the painters' dispute at Palmcrston North recognised that something more than preference to unionists was required, henco the following innovation : " Other things being equal employers shall give preference of employment to financial members of the Union, and the Union on its sido shall givo preference of service to tho members of the Manawatu and Oroua Master Painters' Union."

A note of warning was souuded by the Chief Justice to-day against tho assumption that wool will always maintain a high price, and against the folly of people confidently predicting the future in respect to tho wool market. In one case he saw witness after witness go into the box and say that wool would never fall because they said the number of people in tho world was increasing, and more people were gotting accustomed to wear woollen clothing. Ho was afraid that some settlers who took ud land on a confident assumption of the"future might regret it., and in the case of leasehold land they might have to ask for concessions, as had been the case in tbe past in some instances. Mr Skerrett. K.C., remarked that some of those settlers who, it was thought, would have to ask for concessions were now riding in their motorcars. His Honor said it must not be taken for granted that wool would continue at the price of tho past two years.