THE LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14940, 13 March 1912, Page 8

THE LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

POSITION UNCHANGED. A CALM now seems to prevail in respect to the general labourers' dispute, although there are still no indications of a settlement. The timberworkers have passed the following resolution" That this meeting of the Auckland Timberworkers' Union strongly urges the trades unions of Auckland to take steps to choose a candidate for the Mayoralty at the forthcoming election; and further, in the event of such a candidate being selected, this union pledges itself to further his interests to the utmost."

The president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour (Mr. P. C. Webb) will leave for Huntly to-day, and will address a meeting of miners there this evening. To-morrow Mr. Webb will proceed to Wellington, and afterwards go on to Dunedin. He will address the waterside workers in each port he arrives at. Mr. Parry - (vice-president ■ of the federation) has returned to Waihi.

The new scale, of wages for labourers, as proposed by the recent local bodies' conference, has been adopted by the Mount Eden Borough Council. The Epsom Road Board decided last night to fix the minimum wages for general labour at 8s 8d per day, and for tarring and sanding at 9s per day. The Harbour, Board received a recommendation yesterday from its engineer that the wages of its employees should be increased by one penny per hour, as had been done by the City Council and other local bodies. The recommendation was referred to the general committee of the Board for - consideration. The president of the newly-formed Auckland and Suburban Workers' Union, Mr. W. Classon, received an appreciative letter from "A Friend" yesterday. The writer paid he thought the union worthy of public support, and sent £2 as a contribution to the funds.

Mr. J. E. Taylor submitted to the Harbour Board yesterday a motion , (arising out of " the labourers' dispute) to the effect that the Board should cancel its membership of the Employers' Federation. Tho motion was ruled out of ■ order by the chairman, because it could not be put till a previous resolution had been rescinded, and Mr. Taylor said he would not press the question now, but would bring it up later in a modified form.