TRADES AND LABOUR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10919, 28 September 1897, Page 4

TRADES AND LABOUR.

STRIKE OF COAL MINERS,

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. Sydney, September 27.

The Hartley Vale shale" miners have struck owing to the "management refusing their demand for an increase in the rate of their wages. ' . . .•

THE SHOPS AND SHOP ASSISTANTS ACT. ■••■-'■ (Per United Chess AssociATro>r.);. "." Wellington, September 27.

A te&fc case under the Shops and Shop Assistants Act was heard to-day, in which a local chemist, who had sold tea on Wednesday afternoon, \?as charged with having infringed the act by not closing his shop on that afternoon. Counsel ior the Labour department said the department wanted a common-sense ruling on a very lsrge question; If chemists were to be allowed to sell tea on holidays they would soon have the usual lines of groceries sold in chemists' shops. The defence was that it.was the custom of the chsmists to sell tea nnd that, tea in various forms was part of a chemists Btock. The court reserved judgment.

THE BUILDING TIUDE,

CFrom Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, September 27,

The Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners here has made a demand on the employers for Is 43 an hour arid 44 hours per week, which would bring their wages up to £3 per week. Tho masters have decided, however, to pay the men by ths hour and not by the week, so that if they like t.o. work only 44 hours they can do so. They decline to increase the rate of pay, and will give only Is 3d an hour as at present. An Employers' As.wi&tion is being formed here, aud delegates will be asked to come from the Dunedin and Christchurch Associations with a view to talcing joint action leea-aiag the two labour bills before Parliament—viz , the Master and Apprentice and Eight Hours Bills.