TRADES AND LABOUR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8862, 21 July 1890, Page 2

TRADES AND LABOUR.

THE LONDON POSTMEN'S STRIKE,

[BY BI.KOTBIC TKMMIIAPH. —COFYRICtnT.j (I'ku I'uiiss Association.) London, July 12. (fteoolvoil July 20. »t 5.40 p.m.) After n wink's effort to paralyse the postal Rorvioo, tbo i>c>.sttium stmt n deputation to Mr lw:»il(W, Vostmastor-genernl, with proposals of a inoro imiiliirnto nnturo. It is believed that the ort«H htut pnssed. Altogether 400 postmen bftvo boon tli.imiasotl. l)urlti|t tl>n nlrlku tlin polieo ejected postmpn from hmtnil post olUeuH with violence. The union loailMn nulled for n general strike, which wiM not nwpomled to. Tti • city merchants and members of tho Stock Exchange urged'firmness on tho pnrb of the post oflieo authorities, nml.'offcrcd too services of their clerks. Thn Postmaster-general refused to reoeive deputations eonprisi. g Radical members and delegates from the Trades acd Labour Council, but finally received a deputation from* the postmen who asked that the minimum rate of wages should be 22s per week, with a maximum of 40s. They also asked redress for other moderate grievances. The Postmaster-geueral promised to carefully consider tbo proposals. The 400 postmen who were dismissed have petitioned to be reinstated. A DEFENCE FUND. Melbourne, July 19. (Eeoeived July 19, at 12.30 p m.) Steamship owners' bond pledges the members to contribute to a fund of £20,000 for defence purposes in event of a struggle. Tho bond will probably be signet! on Monday. THE SYDNEY WHARF LABOURERS. Sydney, July 19. (Escolvea July 19, at noon.) The Wharf Labourers' Uuion has dicided that the men must adhere to the rules regarding the unloading of vessels. TIMBER WORKERS' UNION. A well-attended meeting of the New Zealand Federated Timber Workers and Furniture Trade

Association was hold at tho Trades Hall on Saturday uight. Mr William Garbutt occupied the chair, and Messrs Slater and White, of the Dunedin Trades and Labour Council, were on the platform by invitation. The chairman called on tho secretary (Mr. Scoones) to read tho committee's report of what had been done by the union during the last two "months. Tho report stated that 63 members of the furniture trade of Dunedin had joined the union, bringing the membership here up to nearly 200 members; that a flourishing branch had been formed in Napier and a delegate appointed in that district to, visit the outlying parts with a view to thoroughly forming the Hawke's Bay district, which was estimated to number 250 or 300 men; that 80 men waited enrolment at Gisborne when the necessary authority, which had been forwarded, reached there; tbat Mr Fisher of the Wellington Trades Council had undertaken the formation of a branch in that town; that Mr Slater of the Trades Council hero was in correspondence with the councils of Christcnarch and Auckland with a view to them taking the matter up in those places. Mr Slater having stated the requirements of the Trades Council in regard to the rule relating to levies for strike purposes, it was decided by an overwhelming majority to join the Dunedin Trades Council, as against a proposal to limit the powers of the executive in levying to Is per month.

It was also unanimously decided to start contributions from August 1. Mr Scoones stated tbat sub-committees had been appointed to bring up a probable estimate of wages and to consider the boy labour question and to report to a future meeting. This was done for future guidance, when the branches were formed throughout.

It was decided to hold a meeting of the furniture trade next Saturday night to consider tho wages question and other matters affecting the trade generally.

After a hearty vote of thanks had beon accorded to Messrs Slater and White for their attendance, to the chairman, and to the secretary for his detailed report, tho proceedings terminated.

AMALGAMATED BREWERS.

A meeting of brewero and cordial manufacturers was held on Thursday evening, when Mr Slater occupied the chair. A code of rules was drawn up, discussed, approved, and adopted, after which Mr J. Campbell was elected president of the union, Mr J. J. Hounsen, vicepresident, Mr Slowley secretary, and Mr Kilby treasurer. A committee, consisting of Messrs Fleming, Armstrong, Porter, Harris, Sutherland, Day, aud Macdonald, was appointed, and the usual vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.

BUILDING TRADES UNION.

A meeting of working plumbers was held in the Y.W.U.A, on Saturday evening, Mr William Hutchison in the chair, when it was unanimously resolved that the plumbers should join themselves with the Building Trades' Union, the rules of which were read and agreed to. Names were handed to the secretary, and the meeting then proceeded to consider tho regulations necessary for their.own particular branch of trade.. It was agreed:—" (1) That the rate of wages shall bs 11s a-day of eight hours. (2) Overtime for the first five days of the week from 5 to 8 o'clock, and on Saturdays from 12 to 8 o'clock to be paid at the rate of time and a-quarter; after 8 o'clock time and ahalf; and on Sundays double time. (3) That apprentices be limited to one for each shop where only one or two journeymen are employed, and two for every three other journeymen. (4) That no improvers be recognised,— only journeymen and apprentices, and that the latter be bound for six years, after six probation; their wages for the first year after apprenticeship to be 9s a-day for the first six months and 10s a-day for the second six months, after that the standard rate of lls per day." It was also resolved—" That the attention of the City Council should be drawn to the incomplete and imperfect arrangements, more especially from a sanitary point of view, in the pipes and plumbing work of numerous houses in the city, as also in houses now in process of erection; and this meeting respectfully suggests that an inspector should be appointed to examine and report upon the same with the object of improvement.