LABOURERS' TROUBLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14933, 5 March 1912, Page 8

LABOURERS' TROUBLE.

CITY WORKERS' PAY RAISED. NO CONFERENCE WITH UNION. STORY ABOUT FARMERS DENIED. While the general labourers and the Federation ■of Labour do not appear to have made any further move in connection with the labour dispute, the City Council has now adopted an improved scale of wages for its workmen. The union and the. federation have been watching this move by the Council with much interest, and in view of the City Council having been in the position of the principal party on the employers' side, many people- anticipate it. will largely effect the disarming of the labourers' arguments. Labour officials had no statement to make yesterday. . The Bakers and Pastrycooks' Union passed a resolution on Saturday, recording a protest against .Mr. Parr's action in refusing to hear the Federation of Labour's delegates in the labourers' dispute. MUNICIPAL WORKMEN. GENERAL INCREASE OF WAGES. Workmen in the employ of the Auckland City Council are, to be given a general increase, of wages, amounting to £4000 per annum. This course was decided upon by the Council at a, special meeting last 'evening. ~,._, ... Recommendations were made by the Works Committee and adopted by the Council. The following table shows the increase in the" wages "per' hour of the various classes -of -.labourers, with tho equivalent wages per day :—

Increases are to he made in "the" wages at drivers as follow :—Single horse drivers, ■from £2 8s to £2 10s per week, to attend at stables at 6.30 a.m. instead of at six a.m.); double horse drivers, from £2 9s to £2 12s; refuse cart drivers, from £2 10s to £2 15s. The Council will be prepared to adopt, the general practice in vogue in all other stabhs in the city with regard to time-on and Sunday work, and . will, discuss the matter with the Carters' Union, believing that an. improvement in the conditions can be effected. s

The wages for men engaged in hydrant work are to be increased from Is to Is l£d per hour, equivalent loan increase from 8s to 9s per day. Hoots and rubber protection for the men's hands will be provided. Men engaged on tarring and sending work are to receive Is lijd per hour, an increase of M per hour, raising their wages from 8s 6d to 9s per day. Leading hands are to" receive Is per day in advance of the above rates'.'" The qncstioo. of holidays was referred to the city engineer to discuss with the secretary of the Carters' Union. • It was decided that application should be • made to the Auditor-General for a modification of the' system by which a receipt for wages is rgauired from each workman, and that the paying staff should be increased, so" that there shall be no delay in paying the men. The city engineer - was instructed to report upon the means by which this could be carried out."' ■ ■.••■■--■

The Mayor stated to a Her.'XT) representative that after careful consideration the Council felt justified in recommending the increases, and 'betterment of conditions. The »result would be that the employees of th© Council. Would now be the best paid municipal workmen in New Zealand. He estimated that the increases would involve an additional expenditure of £4000 per annum. " It would bo a problem for the Finance Committee to find that amount. He hoped it would net be necessary to increase the general fate, but careful ..consideration .would have to be. given to the adjustment of the finances. Mr. ; Parr, . in - reply to a question, said that the increases were made without imposing- any condition upon the men; they will probably come into operation in about a fortnight. -.-.•>■ - ...

LOCAL BODIES CONFER. MEETING ON WEDNESDAY. . Thirty-three delegates from the City Council, local bodies, and other employers of general labourers afterwards met in conference, in the Council Chamber-.' The Mayor of Auckland (Mr; C. J. Parr) presided, . ' ;' ','.'■'.' " - The Chairman said he had received an unofficial request that the conference should hear a deputation from the Federation of Labour. ■ ... """It . iS-as' 'dfcide^; by S3 ' votes to four, that in view of the action taken by the City Council, it was unnecessary to hear the proposed deputation." ';■ ■ The schedule of wages adopted by the Council was considered, . and it. was resolved that the delegates should report to the bodies represented by them, and again meet tho Council in conference.

HELP . PROM' THE. FABMERS. • . MAYOR DENIES RUMOUR. ~During his speech at the ma.is meeting of workers,- held at the Opera House on Sunday afternoon,- Mr. W. ' Parry, vicepresident of the New Zealand Federation of 'Labour, referred to , a report that an organiser had recently been through the King- Country and had secured the promises of 300 farmers to come to Auckland in the event of industrial trouble. He challenged the Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr) to say he knew nothing of this. . The -matter -was brought under the notice of the Mayor yesterday by a Herald reporter. "There is not a word of truth in the statement," Mr. Parr declared. "I am afraid Mr. Parry must have been thinking of Brisbane, but Auckland 'i.« not Brisbane yet. I have no doubt, we shall have the assistance of the - farmers if wo ask foe it, against the forces of disorder and anarchy, . but "up to the present I,have neither asked for such help nor even thought about it. I have no doubt the citizens (if Auckland' will be able to keep the peace in the event of trouble." Continuing, the Mayor said the feeling throughout, the community seemed to be that the City Council and the local bodies are taking quite the right stand. "We are meeting our own men," said Mr. Parr, " with a rise of wages, and alteration of hours, in a perfectly reasonable way. -If we satisfy them; where on earth is the necessity fur any conference with the Federation of Labour ?■ What have they got to do with it

"If the Federation of ..Labour chooses to call a general strike because we elect to deal direct with our own men and offer them better conditions," concluded the Mayor, "the federation must take the responsibility for 'such a senseless proceeding." ■ ■"; •

I'er hour. Per day. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. General 'labourers 1 0 to 1 1 8 0 to 8 8 .Metal . spreaders 1 01 to 1 2., . £ 6 to 9 4 Refuse lifters ... 1 0 to 14 8 0 to 9 0 Pipe layers ... l 1J to 1 24 9 0 to 9 8 Qnarrymen „ 1 0 to 1 11 8 0 to 9 0 Msvchiiiomeu ... 1. 21 to 1 3 ... 9 6 to 10 0