WORK AND WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14981, 29 April 1909, Page 7

WORK AND WAGES.

• RAILWAY STRIKE IN NATAL. United Presa Association—By Electrio Tclegra ph—Copyright. DURBAN, April 28. Goods traffic in, Natal has been suspended, and tho principal passenger services are maintained with difficulty. The Press and public denounce the strikers. Some labour leaders urge tho acceptance of the Government's offer of arbitration to prevent trade passing to Delagoa Bay.

[Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 28. The Conciliation Commissioner, Mr Harlo Giles, presided at conferences between parties in the ship, yacht and boat-builders' disoute and the carters' dispute. In both cases settlements satisfactory to both parties were arrived at. The Commissioner was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

At a meeting of the Upper Ashburton Road Board, held on Monday, the following motion was carried ,in connection with the general labourers* dispute r—" That in the opinion of this Board the wages claimed by the Christchureh General Labourers' Union are excessive, and the conditions of employment set forth in the statement prepared by the Union inapplicable to the circumstances attending the employment of labourers by this Board; that the preference to Unionists clause is objectionable in itself, and would in practice prove unworkable, so far as this Board is concerned; and in as much as this Board has always been able, without difficulty to effect amicable arrangements with the labourers employed by it, both as to rates of wages and condition of employment, the Upper Ashburton Road Board ought to be excluded from the operation of any award which may be made by the Court of Arbitration in respect of the claims now set up by the Union."