TRADES AND LABOUR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10033, 26 April 1894, Page 2

TRADES AND LABOUR.

Press Association-By Telegraph—Copyright. Washingtox, April 23. One hundred thousand oolliers are now on strike. ' The labour malcontents demand that ; 500,000,000d0l shall be expended on relief works.Tno daily loss by the coal strike ia already estimated at L 25 000. . April 21. Fifty women attacked the police at Union Towd, Pennsylvania, demanding the releas3 of the Imprisoned strikers. The police repelled the assaulc with clubs and bayonets. April 25. The Caxeyite arrivals in the chy are, treated, as vagraat?, and the Government' notify that it ia intsnded to strictly enforce the Uws.against vagrants, as large moba are' expected. THE SHEARERS AND LABOURERS' UNION. CfIMSTCHURCn; April 25. The annual conference of the New Zealand Amalgamated Shearers and General Labourers' Union was opened to-day, Mr J. W. Kelly, M.H.R.. presiding. The president, in his opening address, referred at considerable length to the progress made by the union, and the condition of labour generally. The general secretary submitted his annual report, which dealt in detail with the work of the branches. It could fairly be estimated that the membership was as follows :—North Island 600, Marlborough 200, Canterbury 1200, Obago 450, Southland 550; or a grand total of 2800, an increase for the year of 800 members. During the late shearing season members had been supplied with ballot papers for the purpose of allowing the executive to obtain a consensus of opinion on 6everal questions afEectiog the interests of the union, and although it had been carried that the name of tha union should be changed to the "New Zealand Workers' Union," that a newspaper be estab-

lished in the interests of unionism, that a death benefit schemo be adopted, that shears be imported by the society, and that the subscription be raised, to 10s per annum, still it wa.3 matter for regret that only about 700 voted. Reference was made to the disputes at Bowland station, Wairarapa, and Benmore station, Otago, and the necessity for a universal shed agreement was urged. It was subject for congratulation thiit through the instrumentality of the Government electoral rights had been obtained for shearers, bat it was thought the system could be extended with advantage by making rights available for all absent voters. Moreover they should possess them for licensing and other elections. The report and balance sheet were adopted.

THE UNEMPLOYED,

\V'e learn from the Oamaru Mail that a deputation from the unemployed waited on the Hon. J. M'Kenzie at Oamaru yesterday. Mr Boreham, in laying their case before the Minister, said there were many strangers in the district who seemed to get a preference in ■work by local bodies. There were now in Oamaru pat of work 40 married men with 202 dependent upon them, five married men without families, five single men with relatives dependent upon them, and a number of single men without dependents. lie had been in some of the homes and ,noted the sign's of distress in pictures and other ornaments gone from the walls. Some of tho ablest working men in New Zealand were standing on the bridge idle, and the large estates round about were dismissing their servants, he was informed, with a view to harassing the Government. The Minister said Oamaru was no worse off than many other places. The large landowners were dismissing men not to harass the Government, but simply became they were not putting in crop, as it didn't pay them. This, no doubt, was partly tha cause of the depression. The Government were prepared to assist tho unemployed as far as lay in their po weir. Any work they had to do of a remunerative character would be given to the unemployed, and certain works were now in preparation. They could not possibly find money to make work, but what work they could do would be done at once. There was nothing to be done near Oamaru, but he would try to make nome arrangement when he got to Dunedin to take a draft of men from O.»maru, Perhaps some could be sent to tho North Island.

Mr J. Maekay, oE the Labour department, who in now in Dunedin, has received instructions to select men for road works in the Catlins district. They will probably proceed to the various places at the beginning of next week. He is also authorised to select men for work on improved settlement farms to be started between Tauihukupu and Tautuku. As there are some settlers at present in urgent need of employment Mr Fajfnie, the local agent of the department, will proceed to Catlins to select the most needy cases. '-■ ■ ' The Labour Day Committee at its Monday evening's meeting passed a resolution approving of the suggestion of the late labour conference— namely: "That an endeavour tie made to have Labour Day made a statutory holiday on some day in the second week of October of each year." Also, approving the industrial exhibition proposal, and accepting an invitation to attend the meeting being arranged in its interest. The 1894 delegates will be called together on Juno 2.

ihe Wellington Labour Bureau intend to prevent a sailor who was alleged to have obtained employment under misrepresentation being put to work. It wa9 proposed to prosecute him for false pretences,' but tho department is not certain that a charge will lie.