TRADES AND LABOUR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11484, 25 July 1899, Page 5

TRADES AND LABOUR.

(Pj!r United Press Association.) THE BOOT TRADE.

NELSON, July 24.

Mr J. Arnold, of Dunedin, has filed with the clerk of awards, Nelson, the industrial agreement between the Bootmakers' Union and Adam Millai, boot manufacturer, of Nelson. The agreement is on the lines of the award of the Arbitration Court in the southern dispute, and also those in Auckland and New Plymouth last week. Thus the whole colony has been brought into lino in connection with the boot trade.

THE SEAMEN'S UNION DISPUTE. WELLINGTON, July 24.

The Arbitration Court lias begun the hearing of the seamen's dispute, which was before the Conciliation Board for 17 days. The Hon. Mr M'Lean, who.appears for the Union Company, pointed out that both the Seamen's Union and the company are domiciled at Dunedin, and disputes might crop up elsewhere. The company, had no wish to get into conflict with their employees, and asked the court if they could hot have one case to govern everything. Judge Edwards thought when the dispute was a colonial one it should be settled once and for all. The act required amendment to enable this to be done, but the court would bear the subject in mind, though they could not at present do as suggested. The proceedings to-day were wholly taken up with a statement of the case for the. Seamen's Union.

CHRISTCHURCH BAKERS' DISPUTE, CHRISTCHUROH, July 24.

At a meeting of the master bakers on Saturday it was decided not to accept the recommendations of the Conciliation Board, and a' committee was appointed to draw up a case for the employers in the Arbitration Court.

THE UNEMPLOYED,

CHRISTCHURCH, July 24.

The unemployed difficulty has again, arisen. The mayor took to Wellington on Saturday a list of 103 men out of work, but the list gave no particulars as to whether the men were married or single, or their place of residence. The mayor has telegraphed that some men will be pud on the Midland railway works, and the unemployed will meet at the Labour Bureau tomorrow.

THE SPLIT IN THE SEAMEN'SUNION.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, July 24. Before the Arbitration Court in the case between the Seamen's Union and the1 shipping companies, in discussing the question of giving unionists the right of preference of employment, Mr Jones, the secretary of the local Seamen's Union, asked that if Auckland or Dunedin unionists were employed on the Wellington boats they should be made to subscribe to the funds of the Wellington Union. The presiding judge, Mv Justice Edwards, apparently could not see the force of this, and it became evident in the discussion which ensued that the unions were divided amongst themselves. His Honor drew attention to the.title of ■' Federated Seamen's Union" adopted in the rules, while there was in reality no federation at all. Mr Jones said such was the case at the present time. There were three unions—the Dunedin, the Wellington, and the Union. The lastnamed was only 18 months' old. His Honor asked why did they not federate, at which there was some laughter from those who were aware of the circumstances. Mr Jones said, "We have asked for a federation, but have been refused by the' selfstyled head office at Dunedin." His Honor: " You seem to have fallen out, Mr Jones." . "That is no fault of ours, your Honor." ~ Captain Strang (of the Union Company): " No, it's the other fellows." Mr Kennedy (local manager of the Union Company): "We want to knowunder which king, your Honor?" His Honor: "They certainly ought to federate all over the colony." Mr Jones: "We desire to federate, but the other peojile won't. They say they aro federated. I contend there is no federation in Now Zealand. The idea of the other union was to boycott the Wellington Union right out of existence. The Wellington Union, however, wanted federation) and had held out the right hand of fellowship to the Dunedin Union." His Honor: "Was there a cudgel in it when they held it out?"— (Laughter.) .Mr Jones added that there were many members of the union who, now that they saw they could get the benefits secured by the union, did not want to pay any more subscriptions. He admitted they had not much spirit for the union, then- spirit being in their pocket. It touched them when they had to pay 2s a month to the union. His, Honor remarked that Mv Jones did not apparently have much regard for the principles of unionists. That statement did not say very much for his fellow members. Mr Jones replied that nevertheless it was true. I