EXPLANATIONS AND COMMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12604, 6 March 1903, Page 5

EXPLANATIONS AND COMMENTS.

(Per United Press Association'.) ■WELLINGTON, March 5. Mr Tregear, secretary of tho Labour Department, states that he has received information which makes him believe the number of men suspended in connection with the cabinetmakers' trouble in Auckland is greatly exaggerated, and, moreover, that the dispute will probably be settled entirely in a day or two. The men, according to the version received by Mr Tregear, had been merely suspended because of some difference of opinion as to wages which should be paid to Bome old men. who are unable to earn -the minimum wage fixed by the court. The "Wellington Trades Council to-night passed a resolution expressing sympathy with the Auckland cabinetmakers, and offering to grant them assistance to combat the employers.

At a meeting of the (Ttago Trades and Labour Councillast evening a resolution was carried unanimously to the following effect: "That this council desires to express its indignation at the action of the furniture trade employers of Auckland in locking out their workmen in contravention of tho spirit of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act (an action which is likely to give rise to the concomitant evil which consists in tho importation of cheap sweated foreign-made goods, principally of Chinese manufacture), and asks the Right Hon. R. .T. Seddon to use his influence to prevent this section of employers from inaugurating a system which ifi evidently intended to destrov the working of the Conciliation and Arbitration Acts." 11l conncction with this resolution and the Arbitration Court generally, it was further resolved "That a meeting of the Trades and Labour Council be held * fortnight after the date of the'meeting, w'.ersat this present resolution was adopted for the purpose of considering the whole of the awards which have been made by the said court." Mr .T. B. Lindsay, tho local agent of the Lsbfflr Bureau,/showed us a telegram he

had received list evening from the deputyohief secretary of the department, stating that the news concerning' the 80-called lockout was exaggerated. He declares that the men are not looked-out, but suspended, and that a setlemenfc will probably be made of the whole difficulty in a day or two.