THE BROKEN HILL STRIKE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 20

THE BROKEN HILL STRIKE.

Sydney, August 17.

The mine owners have resolved to adopt the old schedule of wages, which, however, will be largely subject to a satisfactory recovery in the price of silver. They intend to reopen the mines at these rates on the 25th inst., and if insufficient men apply for work they will be compelled to make other arrangements.

August 18.

The miners are hopeful that the manifesto of the mine owners with reference to the terms on which they will work their properties will be the means of opening up negotiations. The secretary of the Owners' Association has telegraphed to the miners that the time has now passed when a conference (even if the pickets were withdrawn) would be productive of good. The shareholders are by no means anxious for a resumption of work in the mines, and are quite prepared to allow the ore to remain in the ground till its removal will be more profitable. They say that the strike has disorganised the whole system of work, which, combined with the low price of silver, prevents normal working. For some time to come the Proprietary Mine is unlikely to engage more than half the usual complement of men.

August 19.

The Defence Committee asserts that the Broken Hill miners will fight until starvation compels them to surrender.

August 15,

It is expected that there will be exciting times at Broken Hill on Thursday, when the mines will be reopened.

TRADES AND LABOUR COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of the Trades and Labour Committee was held last evening, Mr A. Judge presiding. The correspondence having been dealt with, the report of the Visiting Committee was received and adopted. Tho Parliamentary Comoaittee submitted the following report, which was adopted : —

The Conciliation and Arbitration Bill, as drafted, we consider is far too cumbersome and intricate in its phraseology, and it would be entirely inoperative in securing for employes that which it purports to provide ; in fact it in no way meets the requirements of employes re compulsory arbitration. What is wanted is a concise act providing for boards of conciliation and arbitration, with clauses making it imperative upon any individual employer or registered body of employes to submit matters of dispute to arbitration when conciliatory measures have failed to obtain a settlement mutually satisfactory. In all cases of dispute, work should be continued and both parties subject to any decision that may be given by the board of arbitration from the date at which the dispute commenced — i.e., if employers suggest a reduction of wage 3, or employes an increase, the same to become operative in each case from the date of notice of the dispute. lie Shop Hours Bill. — Females in shops ought not to be employed longer hours than those in factories. The compulsory half-holiday should be the same for all trades. The clause as against this should be struck out. No distinction has ever been made between various trades in any place where a half -holiday has been observed by mutual arrangement. lie Civil Service Bill. — Re awards as to one month's salary for every year of service, and six months' leave of absence, or 12 months', as the case may be, on full pay : This is altogether unnecessary taxation upon all other sections of

the publii-, and is a sy-,tem of pension with which tho council thoroughly disagrees.