WORK AND WAGES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6451, 24 February 1908, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES

RESULT OF DEPRESSION DISPUTE IX THE EXCINEEI.HXG TRADE. EFFORTS FOR SETLEMEXT. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received February 23, 4.16 p.rn.) LONDON, February 22. Tho efforts which arc being made by Mr Dloyd-Gcorge, President of the Hoard of Trade, to effect a settlement of the engineers’ dispute are progreaIt now transpires that the shipbuilding employers decided, owing to distress arising from depression in trade, to continue to employ, as circumstance:] permit, men belonging to trades in which there is no dispute. Hence tho lock-out notices to those workers who have accepted a modified reduction have been withdrawn, but the employers insist upon shipwrights ivho arc on strike accepting tho Clyde rate of pay.

The strikers reply that this is equivalent to a reduction of three shillings per week, and they are determined not to resume work.

Tho engineers in the ohlpbmldmg yards on the north-east coast struck, having refused to accept a reduction of Is a week in the time rate. A complete stoppage of work waft threatened, which would have thrown 83,000 persons idle. Mr LloydOoorge, President of Iho Board of Trade, invited Sir Andrew Noble, chairman of Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth, and Company. Limited, to confer with him regarding the crisis.

ENGLISH POSTAL EMPLOYEES,

LONDON, February 22. The Postmaster-General, Mr Sydney Buxton, by adopting the recommendations of the Commission set up under tho chairmanship of Mr Hobhouse, M.P., adds one million yearly to the salaries and wages of Post Office officials. The newspapers protest against the employees vigorously agitating for yet better terms. Tho " Pall Mall Gazette ” says the State wage-earners are becoming tho masters of those who pay.