TRADES AND LABOUR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10420, 24 July 1895, Page 3

TRADES AND LABOUR.

(Feu United Phess Association.)

Wellington, July 23.

In the Magistrate's Court a contractor for the erection of certain stables was - charged' under section 13 of the Workmen's Lien Act, ' with sub-letting a. portion of fche work without informing the employer. The' facts were admitted, and the sub-contraotors said that at the request of the contractor fchey had told the architect thafc they were working for wages. The magistrate reserved his decision, bnt said that the case showed the difficulty the department had in carrying out the act, as' here the workmen for whose ben&fit the act was passed had combined with the contractor to defeat the terms of the measure. It appeared that the . sub - contractors in question were quite willing to carry out a fraud on the act, hut when things did nofc pan oufc quite as they desired they turned round and. set the law in motion. He refused costs to the sub-contractors, regarding them as being as much to blame as the contractor.

Cemstchttcch, July 23.

A meeting of the. Winter Work Fund Committee was held to-day, when the mayor stated that the funds would only hold out another four weeks. Large numbers of men are stiU clamouring for employment. It was reported that E»3t men were employed on .the relief works in the city and saburbs, bat this does not include all the men out of work. ' The iiwyor said it wag no earthly use men coming to the city in the hope of obtaining employment from the fund, hesause they would not receive it.,

Waimate, July 23. The following resolution was carried at an executive'". meeting of the New Zealand Workers' Union on Saturday :"'— " That in the experience of this udigu the proposal to make stipendiary magistrates independent of Government control is premature, and should not be curried1 into effect until a better class of men has been Appointed: in place of those" now occupying the bench. The villification of this union by the stipendiary magistrate on the occasion of the Benmore wet sheep dispute, and his later conduct in sending a man to trial tor murder, against whom Judge Denniston declared there was no evidence, indicates the necessity of more vigilant and active control by tne Government rather thau its abaud6nment."

«v w £ ge has besn elected president of tho Labour Day Committee for the ensuing 12 months, Messrs J. Nagle and S. J. Lyon being tae vice-presidents. The elections of secretary, treasurer, and auditors have' been deferred. The committee have recorded on their miuutes a vote of thanks to the retiring officers. It has been decided to celebrate Labonr Day by the usual demonstration and sports on Wednesday, October 9, and the following have been elected a Sports Committee :- Messrs Nagle, Brown, Murray, Cherry, Blanchfield Moroney, Fleury, M . W att, Sawers, Garolm, Eerguson, Bennett, and Pearce Subscriptions, in money or kind, have bsen received , by or promised to tb« Otago Miners' Association to the value of £210 Hsr