THE WELLINGTON WOOLLEN MILLS AND EMPLOYES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8734, 21 February 1890, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON WOOLLEN MILLS AND EMPLOYES.

(Pkb Unitkd Press Association.)

Wellington, February 20.

The directors and employes of the Woollen Company have had an interview to talk over the difficulty at the mill. Tho litter were asked point blank to state if they hm-.w of any sweating or cutting down of watfes as alleged by speakora at public meetings, and replied iu'tho negative. Mr Kennedy Mncdonald (chairman) pointed out thu unfairness and untruth of the allegations against the mill, and asked the employes how they could expect to get higher wages than other ~,iils paid, although the Wellington Company tclu&Jly at present, did pay more than others. They had uo objection to the formation of a union if it embraced all mills • and to be effective it muse do so. He deuii d that hands had been discharged because they belonged to the union. They were sent awsv simply because there was no work for their' He put this question: Are you going to bU pport the directors by refusing to join the local union until the general union of all operatives in the colony is formed? They were not going to run tho mill at a loss. All the men but two and a number of the women replied in thu affirmative A largo majority of tho women voted in tho negative saying they belonged to the union Mr Maedoualci said he undertooa there were reasons why ,ir|s iw.l joined tv« union, and he did not a blame them.

The Times states that the?o girls (30 ii. number) ml! be culled out immediately, and receive 5a per week from the federated unions As a sequel to yesterday's meeting of tho employes of the Wellington Woollen Company, a number of operatives—principally boys and girls—who had declared in favour of union tendered the company a week's notice of their intention to leave. It is stated that the directors, having now thoroughly satisfied the maiu body of operatives, do not propose taking any further notion respecting those who have left the mill, but have given the manager instructions to push the butine.'s as much as possible in order, if possible, to increase the number of operatives at an early date.