WORLD OF LABOR.

Mataura Ensign, 15 January 1913, Page 2

WORLD OF LABOR.

GARMENT-WORKERS' OATH. STRIKE RIOTS QUELLE]). BI ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. —COI'I'EIGHX. PEE UNITE!. PBESB ASSOCIATION. NEW YORK, Jan. 14. At a mass meeting of garmentworkers thousands took tho oath not to resume until the union has been recognised. Frequent strike riots were quelled by tho police. SECESSION FROM LABOR PARTY. LONDON, Jan. 14. Tlio Boilermakers' Society, witii a membership of 60,000, decided by 2690 votes to 2152 to discontinue its affiliation with the Labor Party. Kupuorters of tho latter regard it us a snau vote. THE SLAUGHTERMEN'S DISPUTE. WORKS TO CLOSE. FEB UNITEJ> PUKSS ASSOCIATION WELLINGTON, Jan. 14. There is every likelihood of a stubborn fight :at hand between the slaughtermen and the meat companies operating at Petono and Ngahauranga. The companies, seeing that tho men are d'etermined to cease work on Monday next, as intubated by the formal notices sent in last week, have both decided to close their works on Monday. Thus each side has taken up a definite position, and the stoppage may provo to be of considerable length, as neither men nor companies give any indication of yielding. The works were very busy Tip till to-night, there being full boards employed anu some overtime done, but from to-day onwards there will be a slackening off, until at the end of the week things will come to a standstill. The companies will have an adequate supply of sheep and cattle for the week, but buying has been stopped, so there will be no animals left in the pens when operations stop. The decision of the companies to close down is regarded by the slaughtermen as a clear indication that the talk about getting farmers to man the killing boards was really a bluff.

THE MAPOURIKA TO LIE UP. UNION AND COMPANY. WELLINGTON, Jan. 14. The advice given in the newspapers ,this morning to intending passengers to the West Coast has proved l to he quite sound in every particular. Anyone who wishes now to reach the West Coast must either travel via Christclvurch or wait for the Arahura at the end of the week, for the Mapourika has been taken off the run and is to lie lip indefinitely. No men could be obtained to form the vessel's stokehold crew this morning, and the Union Company was forced to pay off all other hands. ' It was ascertained 1 in the afternoon that the Seamen's Union would not make any trouble or objection if the Union Company wex-e to put another boat on the run to replace the Mapourika. The secretary (Mr Young) said that the only objection was tp the heavy work imposed on the Mapourika's firemen on the existing staffing scale. If the company put on the Te Anau or some other boat it would get a crew all right; The whole matter was discussed at a meeting of the Wellington Seamen's Union, which passed the following resolution: —"Whereas the Mapourika has become too . li» • v a ship for one r fireman on the vutcli, and whereas 'we consider the lualth of our members is of more nip rtanee than profit, this union recoin:»' "(!s to its members and others not to seek employment on the Mapourika till such time as the Union Company agrees to the reasonable proposal of the union to engage an E-ddit o ,;.i hand in the stokehold department, which will cost it merely an adwill result in overcoming the present difficu.ty; that a committee of three, consist:!!}; of two men paid off the ship to-da.y and the secretary, be appointed to lav this resolution before the Wellington branch manager of the com- ■ pan.v and discuss with him the advisabilitv of giving effect to our proposal." In accordance with the resolution, said Mr Young, he and the two men interviewed Mr Kennedy and placed the matter before him. Mr Kennedy declared that the company had made up its mind not to move from its derision. From what was said it was cl?ar to the union's representatives that the- company had dealt with the matter before the union had an apportunity of considering it, :and before any arguments had been heard. Mr Kennedy informed a pressman that as they could not get firemen for' the Mapourika. they had decided to lay her up indefinitely and pay off all hands. This included the stewards and seamen who were in no way concerned' with the firemen's trouble. In all 36 men were paid off the vessel yesterday. "\te have made no arrangements for replacing her in the run,'' said Mr Kennedy in reply to a question. "No doubt the union would like very much to see us another boat on, for it wants to get rid of the MaI pourika, but wo do not look upon it I in that light."

FEDERATION OF LABOR.

AUCKLAND, Jan. 14. In response to an invitation by the Federation or Labor about 200 unionists attended a meeting in the Trades Hall, at which Mr Parry urged the advisability of all unionists being represented at the conference to be held in Wellington to discuss the position that had arisen in regard to Labor's endeavor to secure united action. He complained that the preference clause in the Arbitration Act was being used at Huntly and Waihi to the exclusion of members of the Federation from the benefit of recent awards. Militant organisation was impossible under tlx Arbitration Act in its present form as it was being used to defeat the organisation of labor. A good deal of general discussion followed relative to the merits of poliiinal action and industrial'action. The trend of the speeches was sympathetic towards the object for which the meeting was called, and recognition of the serious aspect of the industrial outlook as concerns active unionists.