TRADES AND LABOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 16

TRADES AND LABOUR.

Press Association— By Telegraph— Copyright. London, February 7. Unemployed agitators in London declare that pocket explosives will be used if the police maltreat the men. There is some discontent among the London dockers respecting overwork caused by the wool sales, which it is feared may possibly end in a strike. Vienna, February 8. Great distress is prevalent among the working classes in Austria, and it is estimated there are 350,000 men out of employment. Sydney, February 7. The City Council have decided to prohibit the system of subletting municipal contracts. February At a conference between the miners and ■ owners of the Stockton mine, the latter declined to reopen the proposal recently refused by the men — to accept a hewing rate of 4a 2d per ton, with a concession on other rates. Tue owners informed the men that they could return to work at the rate of 3a 2d, which was the district rate, but they declined absolutely to disoharge the firemen (? free men) should the miners return. The Intercolonial Shearers' Conference decided to instruct shearers to refuse employment through the Pastoralists' Union, or to take or give references. The Shearers' Conference contend that the pastoralists committed a breach of the agreement through the system adopted in engaging shearers. It is stated that the Shearers' Union fundß amount to over LII.OOO. February 10. The pastoralists state that there has been no alterations in the system of engaging shearers since the last conference, which affirmed freedom of contract. No information has been officially received regarding the action o£ the shearers at their conference ; therefore nothing can be done by the pastoralists pending further developments. In the course of an interview, the president of the Shearers' Conference asserted that shearers were required to pay a deposit of LI and submit a reference from previous employers as a condition for securing an engagement. He accused the employers of sending down a confidential report, whish he believed was an attempt to place on the black list men who took prominent parts in protecting the interests of their fellows. What the conference wanted was a direct engagement between the shearers and tbe sheepowners. No objection, he said, was raised to working with non-union men. The conference decided to amalgamate tbe Shearers' Union with the General Labour Union. It is expected that all bush unions in Queensland will shortly be amalgamated to the general union of bush organisations throughout the colonies. Ther Metropolitan a penny per ton, which is likely to be satisfactory to the miners, who are now consider-™ sidering the offer. A meeting, under the auspices of the Trades Council, to consider the unemployed question, carried a motion nrging the Government to issue a quarter of a million of negotiable Treasury notes, of which L 35.000 should be expended in extending village settlements, and the remainder on reproductive works. February 13. In communicating the result of the Shearers' Conference to the Pastoralists' Union the president pointed out that the spirit of freedom of contract had not been observed, as the Pastoralists' Union not being employers the men were not free to engage or the employers free to employ men of their own selection. References were useless, because what would satisfy one man would not satisfy another. At the co-operative mine yesterday a large body of miners and many women and children made a hostile demonstration against the tributera as they were leaving the mine. The latter were hustled, and some Btone-throwing was indulged in, but without serious injury to anyone. Adelaide, February 8. The master bakers and employees have established a conciliation board, consisting of fiva from each side. The board are to settle all future disputes. Melbourne, February 7. r lhe co-operative principle which was tried at the Kardalla village settlement has been a failure, and the deputation of settlers who waited on the Minister for Lands stated that while some desired to work their holdings independently, others are willing to continue the co-operative principle. The Minister recommended them to come to some agree•ment amongst themselves, and then he would see what could be done to subdivide the land. A case of some importance, dealing with the law of master and servant, was decided in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Wellington, by Mr Martin, R.M. M. Mackey, baker, sued a former employee of his named W. Dixon for damages for breach of contract in leaving his employ without sufficient prior notice. Defendant was paid on Saturday evening, 13th, and did not resume work on the Monday. He gave no prior notice of his intention to leave other than an informal intimation during tho week to the plaintiff's wife, who refused to accept it as notice. The defence was that no further notice was necessary. His Worship held that no proper prior notice had been given, and that the defendant was liable in damages, but as the plaintiff did not press for any compensation, bringing the case more as a test one than to obtain any pecuniary advantage, he would ■ award only nominal damages and costs, intimating to the defendant that he was fortunate under the circumstances in having been so leniently dealt with.

The directors of the Catholic Times Company have decided to cease publication with this week's issue.

No date has been fixed for the licensing elections, the act apparently leaving it to the returning officers t® appoint any date they choose in March. It is understood that some of them are thinking of fixing March 1, in order that the new committees may take the regular quarterly business. It is stated, however, that the Government are averse to this, and tbat at anyrate the bulk of the elections will pro* bably be after the 15th,