TRADES AND LABOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2105, 28 June 1894, Page 17

TRADES AND LABOUR.

Press Association— By Telegraph— Copyright. London, June 21. Six thousand bakerp, employed in the city, bave strucß work as a protest against making deposits of large sums as security against possible fines for selling lightweight bread. The strike has caused great icconvenience, and tb.e military are employed in baking bread for the city. June 2G. Sixty thousand Scotch miners have struck wjrk. Washington, June 21. Owing to labour' disputes in the United Sates tbe number of workmen returning to Europe is in excess of the number leaving Europe for America. Brisbane, Jane 21. The general' secretary of the Workers 1 Uaion has written to the Pastoralists' Association tha 1 ", as no reply has been received to their request for a conference, it has been decided to call upon the members of the urii >n throughout Queensland not to sign any agreement until the present dispute is settled, except under the old conditions. June 22. News from Barcaldine states that tb© rsuseabouts on the Westland station refused to work unless their wages were increased to the old standard. The various pastoralists' unions are consultir g with one another, and important developments are expected within a few days. Juno 25. The secretary of the Bush Workers' Union, replying to the letter conveying the decision of the Pastoralists' Council, concludes thus : " You will pardon us if we say that you have bien arrogant and a'.iffaecked, instead of beiDg merciful. As you think youara strong you have acted the part of Oriental despots. A3 a last word, we express our pain "and disappointment at your refusal to agree to a conference, and we now placa at your door the responsibility for the coming struggle." June 26, At Westland station all the hands refused to sign the new shearing agreement. At Evieham 40 were willing to sign and 60 were against doicg so. Sydney, June 24, The Pastoralists' Council, in reply to the request of the Intercolonial Conference of the Australian Bush Unions for a conference to discuss the new shearing agreement, has, after full consideration with the pasteralists' unions of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, unanimously decided that it is not necepsary to hold a conference, and it regrets that the workers should threaten to strike, which would only intensify the present condition of things. The council added that such action was not warranted by the present shearing rates or the condi-

tions under which the employeeg were asked to work. June 26. So far as this colony is concerned the Pastoralists' Union have filled all the sheds for two months. Mr Rae, a member of the shearers' executive, states that nnless the pastoralists withdraw by tha middle of August from the position they have taken up, the greatest fight that Australia has yet seen is certain. Wellington, June 22. The Benevolent Trustees have decided to close the shelter and restaurant which they have kept open for the unemployed for sorrie time past at the end of the month. Although the work provided by the formation of the Queen's Drive has absorbed a large number of unemployed there are still about 100 men for whom the trustees cannot find work, and the number is swelled every day by men arriving from other districts. The Gazette contains an Order-in-Council reconstituting the Dunedin and Mosgiel factory districts. Constables Remer (Pembroke) and Miller (Mosgiel) are appointed factory inspectors. Napier, Juno 25. A meeting of the unemployed to-day was attended by 59 men, representing 109 children. The mayor promised^ to again urge upon the Government the immediate necessity for something being done to relieve the existing destitution.

His Worship the Mayor was waited on last week by four working men out of employment, who stated that they had 19 children depending on them. They stated that fully 100 men were unablo to get work, and nothing could be done for them by Mr Farnio, of the Labour Bureau. The Mayor said he hoped that in about 10 days the corporation might be able to employ 10 or 15 men for a month or two upon work which tho council proposed to put in hand. He also said that possibly in a month the Pelichet Bay improvements might ba started, and that would absorb a good few more, but that the only way that work of a permanent character in which working men could find employment was by the Government vigorously pushing forward the unfinished railways of a reproductive character in both inlands. The deputation then withdrew.

A general meeting of the Waimate branch of the New Zealand Workers' Union was held at the head office on Saturday evening, there being a fair attendance. The delegate to the conference recently held in Christchurch handed in a report, which was very favourably received. Correspondence was read from the Australian Shearers' Union, whioh stated that the pastoralists would not meet in conference with the shearers in order to discuss the new agreement, also that two Pastoralistb' Union agents had left Australia for the purpose of trying to engage free labourers in New Zealand. It was unanimously carried that New Zealand shearers be advised not to engage through the PasCoralists' Union, nor accept references nor sign any other agreement than the conference agreement of 1891. Mr J. O'Brien, general secretary, was instructed to advise all braucb.es of the New Zealand workers as to what steps should be taken, also to bring the matter before the notice of the various trades and labour councils. After deciding to hold a public meeting on Tuesday evening to discuss the unemployed question, the proceedings terminated.