THE PREMIER AND LABOUR LEGISLATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2199, 23 April 1896, Page 15

THE PREMIER AND LABO UR LEGISLATION.

WBuaNQTON, April 15. 'A deputation representing nafa'derated unions waited an the Premier to-night with regard to the labour legislation to bs introduced next sestion. The Premier, in wply, said it wasiis opinion that the number of apprentices .in pro- | portion toihe number of journeymen .should be ■apportioned by the 'Master and Apprentice .•Bill, .and information. should be obtained from the employees and employers as to the maximum number of apprentices to be allowed. ' In I regard to abolitfan pf imprisonment 'for debt;, the Government -would go on the lines of 'the Regulation proposed last session. He believed ftt wm in the interests of the colony, that sthe Private Benefit Societies Bill should be passed, fie would do all he could to bring about ithe abolition of private benefit sooieties, as they tended to the collapse of the friendly society syitem. He was in favour of tha extension of municipal and hsirbonr board franchise. Householders should have the franchise, and he would not deviate from that position. The whole structure of municipal representation was on obsolets lines, ,and the sooner it was changed the better. The repreieutabive* of the people were in favour of a £100 poll tax on Chinese and restricting the influx of Chinese, and he hoped the ether portion of the LegUla* tore would coma round to tbut way of thinking. The Government; would introduce legislation next «eMion to prevent the influx of consumptives into New Zealand. It was intended to again introduce the Public Tenders Bill. <He was in farour of the abolition of distraint- for rent, and the sooner it was accomplished the better. The matter df appointing a working man's ropresantative on the Wellington Harbour Board would be ' considered by *the 'Cabinet. Another deputation conveyed to the Premier a resolution pissed at the recent Trades' Council Conference, suggesting that the Government should immediately ascertain the most suitable method of placing kauri gum on the New Zealand, English, and American markets ; and that gumdiggera -be licensed, and licenses issued only to .British subjects. The Hon. Mr Seddon said the Erst, part of the resolution had bis approval, but with regard to. the restrictive clause, he looked at it from an Imperial point of view, and thought- it might bring >the colony into conflict with foreign .powers. BauNNBBTON, April 15. Truckers in <th« North Brannerton mine,knomu a<f Koolgardie, nave struck for higher w»g«s. They .now receive from 5s to 7s pec day. Work has been resumed in the mina where the accident occurred, the strike being confined to the truckers. This will not in« terfere with the output. Wellington, April IS. With regard to the reported strike of truokers at Brannerton the managing director of the Greymonth-Point Bluabeth Goal Company has received a telegram from Mr Bishop, >mmc manager, stating that there was a slight difficulty with truckers, but it bad not caused an interruption of work at the mine. It is explained that the trackers an mostly lads, whioh accounts for the small wages of 5) and 6j per day. .April 16. In reply to a deputation' the Hon. Mr Seddon said that he would see that the «ucceuful 'tenderer for the Makobine viaduot undertook to pay the rate of wages current in Wellington. An Auckland telegram states that at a. meat* ing of the Women* Liberal League a -resolution was carried that the league is in favour of a half-holiday for servants, and with the object of obtaining that invites servants to become , mambera of .the. league. The usual meeting of the Otago Trades *nd Labour Council wm held on Thursday evening, the president (MfS.C. Brown) being In the chair. The delegates to the Trades Conference at Jnvercargill (Messrs Judge, Brown, and Lyons) made- their repost, after which it was resolved to tender the delegates a 'vote of thanks, for their report and.«for the manner in whioh they had represented the council, and .that jtho various items be held over foe consideration until the printed reports were received. It was resolved to bring under the notice of tha Minister for Labour the manner' in which information .for the Labour department i* ob- - tainsd, and to suggest that the secretaries of unions be asked to give information- as well as ■employers. A Wellington telegram states that the Trades and Labour Counoil has decided to .allow unskilled labour unions to affiliate with it. The Board of Conciliation for Wellington district met to elect a chairman, bat the question was deferred for a week owing to tha receipt of* a lawyer's letter stating that an action was being.iaken to upset the .election to the board of H. C. Jones, .one of the employees' representatives. ' The Rev. W. A. Evans, of Wellington, .told the Minister for Works. the other day that ho had reason for saying 'that things had .come to such a pass among the single -men in the ranks of the unemployed -that the men, finding they could not get work unless they married, gob married 'merely for < the take of obtaining employment. - As soon M they got -work amd earned enough to gab away they cleared outiand left their wives. The Minister for Works.vaid he could not understand -men *jiqg themselves ud for lif« for such, a reason. Mr Monro, another member ol the deputation, said it, was not a case of lying sup for life with the -men in question. The Minister said his experience of men had never led )hfm to believe ssuchva state of things -possible. Mr-Evans : Unfortunately mine has. Mr Hay, Government engineer, has reported that wages on the. Otira Gorge 00-opsratxTO work ob several sections,, owing to difficulties whioh have been met with, are much below current rates; The Government haw, there* fore, decided to increase 'the pay. Southland ia now & SQBirato volunteer diabetes