TRADES AND LABOUR,

Otago Witness, Issue 2545, 24 December 1902, Page 15

TRADES AND LABOUR,

i ~^ ■*■>'* i THE FRENCH MARITIME STRHtE I PARIS, December. 15. , ! The Government has arrested * th< leaders in the Marseilles strike on i charge of inciting to murder and tamper ing with the troops. The strikers protest that the Government is betraying the workers. December 17. The members of the Seamen's XTnioi at Marseilles have resumed work. December 19. The seamen in Marseilles have resumed work, relying on Parliament "tc settle the conditions of work. The sailors who were on strike unconditionally surrendered. The strike has cost Marseilles several million francs. . • LONDON, December 16. A Reuter's message states that an attempt by 2200 strikers to interfere with the working of the- Marseilles quays was .severely repressed. All the unions ' except the seamen's have decided to xesume work. The dockers, porters, and carters have also begun, work, and the strike is .virtually at an end. A PEACEFUL AGREEMENT: . * " MELBOURNE, December 20. The shipping difficulty' \nai been amicably settled, and '.the new-agFeeinent signed. "The" men accept" & ieduction^of 10s a- month, "and if the^state-^of' trade is such, as to-warrant a further reduction another conference will Tie iield in June', otherwise the present arrangement will continue till January 31, 1904.

THE TIMARU QUARRY STRDJE. TIMARU, December 20. The Timaru Harbour Board declined to comply with the demands of the striking quarrymen. As the men refused to -return, to work the board decided to advertise for /reflh 'hands.

THE AUSTRALIAN SHIPPINGDISPUTE. " A private cablegram has been received in Dunedin stating that the dispute between the Federated Seamen's Union and the Shipowners' Federation of Australia has been amicably settled. It is understood that the Seamen's 'Union have decided to accept a reduction • of 10s per month in wages, thus bringing the rate down to that in New Zealand. This was the reduction agreed upon, at a forfaier conference between the parties, unless it was shown* that there was an improvement in trade.