INDUSTRIAL UNREST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15385, 23 February 1912, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL UNREST

BRITISH MIXING DISPUTE. ! PROTECTION OF COLLIERIES. conference arranged. I Prose Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONTJOX, February 21. , Many British colliery-owners arc barricading their pits, and some have engaged ' ! rx-.«.]|<li-..rs to guard their properties, < \ particularly their stores 0 ( coal. ! MEN DETERMINED TO STRIKE. I I-O.S'DON, Februnrv 22. I (Received Feb. 23, at 0.15 a.m.) ; Mr Thomas said the South Wales corners had made up t),oir minds against a |«stponcnicnt of the. strike except under foico of majeure. Negotiations could proorcl :« well with the pit* stopped M with them working. The only service required of the (I'ovcrnment would I>j to preserve ; order and protect property. | Mr Hartshorn, who is the gin'ding spirit ■ oi the miners, speaking at Macslog, Raid the miners could not he. heate.n° No Iradcr could approve 0 ( any other course than a- -strike without being guilty of treachery. Sir E. Grey. Mr Lloyd George, Mr Minimi, and Sir (i. R. i s u-Hh will attend the Prime Minister's coal conferences. Mr F. Smith, speaking at Ramsgatc, said nil sections would support the Government in any woll-cfmsidcrwl dork to prevent the arbitrament of force in connection with the dispute. i THE MINIMUM WAGE. ! MIXERS' DEMANDS. I LONDON. February 21. The English miners have replied to I I he masters' offer with a demand for a ' minimum wage, for coal-gcttcrs as follows:—In Yorkshire, 7s 6d; Lancashire, 7s; the. Midlands, 6s to 7«; Derbyshire, 7s ljd to 7s 6d. The minimum for all , other adults U> be ss. They also refuse i/tlic |ininisil Hut wages ,d u |j nm \ \ w I changed for two years, but are, willing to establish committees to secure a workins; schemo. CONFERENCE AGREED TO. LONDON, February 21. The coal-owners and miners' representatives have accepted the Prime Minister's invitation to confer. FEELING OX THE CONTINENT. I/TXDON, February 21. The executive of the International Miners' Federation discussed the question of sympathetic action. The French and Belgian delegates promised active co-operation. GLASGOW DOCKERS' STRIKE. ARBITRATOR'S DECISION. m.N'DON, February 21. Lord Mersey, who acted as arbitrator in the Glangow dockers' dispute, decided in favour of the masters. SHORTAGE OF COAL. RESTRICTING SUPPLIES. SYDNEY. Februnrv 22. (Received Feb. 22, at 9 p.m.) The Strike Committee, at Brisbane has advised ils representative j n Sydney that no coal is available for the Queensland railways, wood being utilised. It iiwtructod him to proceed to the. South ('oast mining districts ami nrrango that no coal shall Ijc shipped to Brisbane, The representative added that he had officially advised that Newcastle was "all right," meaning that no coal would be sent to Queensland from there. PLENTY OF LABOUR AVAILABLE. BRISBANE, February 22. (Received Feb. 22, at 0 p.m.) The Employers' Federation claims that ample, lalmur is available for transport work, including shipping. Negotiations are proceeding for importing a large supply of Japanese coai at an early date. The employers in the timber trade have declined to confer with the men. A FRUITLESS CONFERENCE. BRISBANE, February 22. (Received Fob. 22, at 11.40 p.m.) The strikers arc much disappointed with a re|iort from Melbourne that the compulsory tramway conference has proved abortive. IIRISISAXE TRAMWAY DISPUTE. THE r.ADGE QUESTION. MELBOURNE,. February 22. Nonunionist tramway men testified that they had been subjected to abuse Wause they had not worn Kidges. The President of the Court stated that, he. thought, he «iw a way to effect a settlement if a conference were arranged. The court then adjourned. ANOTHER cTTKAMKR HELD IT. SYDNEY, February 22. (Received Feb. 23, at 0.45 a.m.) The wharf lalxmiers have hung up the Adelaide Company',? steamer Marloo, which arrived from Brisbane, declaring that, her carpo was handled by nonunionists. AUCKLAND LABOURERS' DISPUTE. I I'm Usmn Pkv-w \s<cfHTWSl AUCKLAND. February 22. When seen by a reporter to-day the Mayor (Mr C. '.I. Parr) had something further to say concerning the general labourers' dispute. " 1 notice," said the Mavor. "that Mr Eraser makes the lmasl, thai should he and his friends decide upon a strike not 20 out of the City Council's 400 workmen would remain loyal to the city. 1 can only say that 1 have excellent reasons to know otherwise. The bulk of the City Council's workmen will prefer lo trust themselves to the City Council lather than to Mr Eraser. Assuming, however, that Mr Eraser is corrett, and that practically all the t'itv Council em•■loyoes would leave the city service at any time at his behest, what an intolerable stale of things would thereby be revealed. I invite public attention lo it Here we hive a coutloman who owe.-; no nvpomibilily to the city or the citizens able, he say's, to practically hold up the city service* in live minutes. Of course no self-r<v.po'.-!i:ig community would st.ind that for a moment. Mr Fi-icer may learn this if he has a mind to. A fiirlhernueslion arises : It is the plain duty of the 'v Council to make such a calamity im|Hissihli\" FLANMILL DISPUTE. MASS MEETING OF WORKERS. (Pin Gmto Press Assncunos | PALMERSTON N., February 22. Thii-ty-sovKn llaxmills closed down in Wellington and llawke's Bay provinces to day tor a mass meeting of employees to be held here to consider the dispute in reference to the minimum rale of pay for tl.i.\-cmti:ig. Six hundred men arc nlYectrd, and the union expects most of them in town for the meeting. The press icjirtvent.iiivcs are not admitted. From 700 to 600 llaxmill hands assembled at the Municipal Hall at 11.30 | to-day to consider the dispute between j the lTaxmillers" Association and the Flax Workers' Union as to the conditions of employment of swamp hands, etc.. and j whether a strike was advisable. The men i hid left their mills throughout the west | coast a: the bidding of the Flax Workers' j Union to attend the moot inc. i Mr R. 11. Dalhousie (president of the '. Flax Workers' Union) presided. The morn- I ing was devoted to discussing the sitiu- j tion which tad arisen owing to the rivont j deadlock in the eonferoiice between the j mill owners and the men's union. At 2 o'clock Mr Daily (Conciliation Coiwuis- '

sionnr), who came up from Wellington for the purpose, addressed llio mc<;lin{j, which finally resolved lo hold a meeting of the executive.* of the men's and the employers' unions, presided over by Mr Jlally. The meeting will lie held here at an early dnto —on Tuesday, if possible. licforc the meeting doped at 3 o'clock the prcrient political situation was considered, and it was resolved to free Mr J. Robertson, the member for Otaki, who was nominated by the Flax Employees' Union, from his pledge to vote against Sir .1, G. Ward, and to strongly urge him to vote for the Government on the no-coiili-dnnoo motion. The motion was earned by acclamation, with two dissentients, both of whom, it was explained, bad no votes in the Otaki 'Jecto.-ate. The meeting r!osc<l with cheers for " Robertson and Radicalism." The meeting was not open to tlw press. Tho men returned to their various districts tonight, and will resume work at the mills to-morrow. .MEAT WORKERS' AGREEMENT. ti'm Ukitkh . *■*** uhmjuatiuki WELLINGTON, February 22. The meeting of the Wellington I'reezcrs' Union, held in the Oddfellows' Hall, I'etone, this afternoon, was largely attended. The agreement arrived at by the representatives of the company and tho men on the previous day w;us unanimously ratified, and work will be resumed at tho I'etone and Ngalutiranga meat works at 8 a.m. to-morrow. Of the 000 employees in the two works about one-half ar-2 immediately interested in tlio agreement, which means an inereaso of as i»cr week of 48 hours to those in the trade outside of the slaughtermen an<l pul- i leis, who arc- working under a separate' award. The agreement, which is to continue in foivo until February 22, 1915, sets out that tlw Freezers' Union is to register under the Arbitration Act, and that the terms shall be binding upon both parties. The minimum rates of pay are :— Slaughterhouse- assistants : lioners, Is 4id |>er hour; improvers (less than two years at the work), Is 3d per honr. Piecework : Floormen, 23s per 1000: gutmeii, 3s 6d per 100; gulmcn on beef, 2d per bea<l; cooling floor hands, doormen, trimmers, and general labourers. Is 3d per hour; fellmungery skin-washers, Is 4.Jd per hour. Piecework: Per 100, December to January, Is 2d; February and March, Is sd; \pril and .May. Is 9d; June, 2<<. At the I'etone works the employers are to provide labour to put fkins in dolly and convey trucks fmm the «l;in washers lo the trimmers. Painters. Is 4d jilt hour; tin piecework, November to March, 3s 3d per KW; April, May, and Juno, 3s Cd; timers. Is 4Jd per honr; lleshers, first three months. Is 3d; after, Is lid per hour; pniddiT. first three months (learners), Is 3d; after. Is 4d; pelt classers, Is 4d; other workers, It; 3d; freezing chamber hands, chamber work, Is 4Jd per hour; discharging, ordinary overtimo and Sunday rate,'is lOd. After the first eight hours on any one day at either or both cltamb.'r work or discharging, the rale of wage.s shall be Is lOd. Manure and tallow workers, Is 3d per hour; hide house, leading baud, Is 4Jd; other workers, Is 3d; preserving department, Is 3d; engine-room lireinen, 10« per day; workers not otherwise specified, Is 3d; youths and bovs under 15, 12s Gd per week; up to 16, 18s; 17. 255; 19, 30s; over 19, 40s. None to be employed in any department in greater numbers' than one Iwy to every three men, or fraction of the first three. All work done on Christmas, Day or Good Friday is to be paid for'at double rates, and all work done on any of the other recognised holidays or Sundays at the rate of time and a'|iiarler. Except where otherwise ,provided, all lime worked in excess of eight, houiv in any one day shall ho considered overtime, and paid for at the rale of time and atjuarter. I'refcrncce to unionist*; is provided for. It is provided that any dispute in coiiiiedion with anv mailer not provided for in this agreement shall be settled between the particular employer concerned and the werrUirv or president nfllie union, and in default of any agreement being arrived at, then such'dispute shall be referred to the local irsnector of awards, win. may cither decide the same or vivr the matter to tho court. Either oarly dissatisfied with the decision of the ii'ppcclor of awards mav appeal to tbe '■ourf upon giving wr j| lr ' n m \ n flf -~„,,,, i'lmeal to Hie other nmty within seven 'lavs alter such derision shall hnvp comniumuited to tho party desiring the appeal. °