TRADES AND LABOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 1952, 23 July 1891, Page 15

TRADES AND LABOUR.

(Peb Pbess Association.) London, July 16. Mr Tillet, giving evidence before the Labour Commission, said he did not approve of unions being converted into close corporations. Jnly 18. The Right Hon. E. Hubbard, chairman of the Amalgamated Dock Companies, was examined to-day before the Commission on Labour, and explained that the dock companies were not hostile to the unions, but they certainly resisted the exclusion of nonunion men, and at the same time would not allow union foremen. Sir John Lawes has given powerful evidence before the Labour Commission. He denied that the Shipping Federation wefe hostile to the unions, and stated that half of the registered federated labourers were unionists. Dublin, July 18. The men out on strike in this city have been defeated, and are returning to work. July 20. The strike of porters has been defeated and a free labour bureau established. PAEIS, July 16. The railway strike is extending. July 17. There are signs of the railway strike fizzling out. July 20. Out of 350,000 French railway employes only 3000 went out on strike. The Government have offered the railway companies the services of the army to work the lines on which the strikes have occurred, but the men are not wanted. Sydney, July 17. The Trade Council report that New South Wales contributed £4000 to the Queensland shearers, and the other colonies, except Queensland itself, £17,000. The Shearers' Union in addition sent £3000. The total amount subscribed from all sources and by 10 unions was over £50,000. There is little or no prospect at present of an amicable settling of the difliculty between shearers and pastoralists in this colony. Jcly 18. The unionists are acting aggressively at Bourke, and there is much excitement in that town in consequence. They cut the moorings of a river steamer which was being unloaded by non-unionists. A large reinforcement of police were despatched to preserve order. July 20. The shearers are forming camps out in the Western district, and are actively engaged persuading freemen to desert their employers. July 21. Sir Henry Paikes has again written to the Pastoralists' Union requesting it to hold an open conference with the Shearers' Union. A force of 60 armed police has been despatched to the disturbed district out west. Beisbanb, July 16. The Presbyterian -Federal Assembly have adopted a deliverance sympathising with i labour in its legitimate efforts to improve the } condition of labourers. It was suggested that employers should devise some means by which a portion of the profits be set aside for the benefit of employes, and that the various Governments should create boards of conciliation to settle disputes between employer and employed. The deliverance will be read from all the pulpits. July 18. A motion for the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the "shearing war" was rejected by 41 to 3. An Auckland telegram states that of 127 bootmakers on strike, 120 have signed a statement against any local union and local statement being substituted for a federated union and federated statement. A telegram to the Hobart Mercury states that extraordinary depression prevails in the milling trade in Melbourne. Two large mills in the city were temporarily closed during the week on account of lack of orders. The president of the Millers' Operatives Society stated at a meeting that the trade had never experiencsd such depression as at present, and said it was owing to the falling off in the export of flour, and other colonies having taken the trade. Distress is existing among the workmen to an extent unprecedented at this time of the year. The Millers' Operatives Society recently forced their demands upon the mill owners, with the effect of adding considerably to ihe cost of producing it. _____________