TRADES AND LABOUR

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 22

TRADES AND LABOUR

LONDON, January 27. The Pittsburg report with reference to an arrangement between the Steel Trust and the Welsh tin-plate makers is not confirmed. At Cardiff it is described as a fiscal kite.

MELBOURNE, January 28. Mr Theodore Angier, head of the wellknown firm of London steamship owners, on being interviewed, said that the White Australia policy was perplexing to Britons, it seemed so petty, unnecessary, and selfish. The white man was unable to develop the whole continent. Those persons had got hold of the wrong idea who thought that if the black and yellow races came they would be employed at the expense of the whites. The more unskilled workers there were the more would the sendees of the intelligent, highly-trained section of labourers be demanded.

The Political Labour Council has arranged to retain Mr Tom Mann as organiser till after the State elections. SYDNEY, January 27. The Heddon-Gretna colliery dispute has been amicably settled.

January 29.

A strike has occurred in the Stanford Merthyr colliery, the men refusing to accept the Arbitration Court award.

In connection with the strikes in the Northern Extended and other Newcastle district mines, the Colliery Proprietors' Association has refused the request of the Miners' Federation for a conference. The miners asked for a conference with a view to the proprietors granting an increase in the hewing rate as settled by the Arbitration Court, and also that both parties might approach the court with the object of having the award revised. Tho proprietors refused on the ground that tho Miners. 3 Federation

initiated the action which resulted in the disputed award, and that the award provided for a conference in case of any dispute. January 30. The Labour Conference finally adopted the following fighting planks in their platform, in the order named : — Ilesumption of land for closer settlement, amalgamation of the savings and post emee banks and Advances to Settlers Board into a Stats bank, abolition of the Legislative Council, the State Governors, and other unnecessary officers, initiative and referendum, free education, cessation of borrowing except for redemption or completion of authorised works and undertakings which pay interest and one centum sinking fund, progressive land value tax on all estimates over £5000.

Trouble has occurred in a number of city hotels over the Arbitration Court award case. The cooks and kitchenmen in several hotels have been discharged wholesale. The employers state that they have taken action owing to the high-handed procedure of the employees since the award. The permanent residents in the hotels are considerably inconvenienced.

February 3.

The dispute between the rival Shearers' Unions is being investigated by a Royal Commission. When a select committee inquired some time ago, MiLeahy, the secretary for the Machine Shearers' "Union, refused to give evidence. After the Eoyal Commission's examination of the officials of the Australian Workers' Union, Mr Leahy entered the witness bex ; but threw the Bible on the desk, exclaiming : " I decline to be sworn." He refused to give reasons for his action and left the box. Counsel for the Workers' Union expressed his intention to call all the officials of the Machine Workers' Union, and then see whether there was anything amounting to a conspiracy afoot.

ADELAIDE, January 28. Mr Price, leader of the State Labour party, addressing a public meeting on the unemployed question, said that at present working men knew more abcut the prospects of the Melbourne Cup winner than about legislative work. The time was coming when the working classes would hare to study for themselves with true earnestness the unemployed question.

ASHBTTRTON, February 1. On Saturday the threshing miil-ov-no-s announced a. reduction in the raters of wages to the mill han eta, and to-day a meeting of tb3 men was held at which I^o were present, and a resolution v>as passed

not to accept work at prices under la-=fc year's rates. February 3. The- dispute bc-twe-e-n thresh'ng-mill hands aud owners wa» ucKancod another stage today, whon representatives of the men met in conference the owners of sot en machines. An agreement was entered into to pay bagmen 11s per 1000 for oal«, and 13s for wheat and barley; stackm.cn, 10s for oats and 12a for wheat and barley. Sleeping accommodation to be charged. Is per man per week; the Uue of cooking utensils and fuel, 16 per man per week. Incompetent men to be liable to Gummary dismissal. Band-cuttors and drivers to be engaged as per arrangement. A week's notice to be given on either sids ; men leaving without notice to forfeit one week's wages : in on to be charged 15s per week for food. The owners urged the men to join the Workers' Union, and^eigiufied their intention of affiliating with the Wo-mate MillowneiV Association. It was understood that the millowncrs present had no power to bind thocc not represented.

The following is tlio report rsublishcd in. the journal of the Department of Labour on the. condition of the h-bour market, in Dune din during the month of February: — Building trade: Still very brisk m all branches; all fully employed. There is etill a demand for good carpenters. Engineering trade?: Much imnroicd sinca Jasb month, and in some of the workshops full timo is being worked. Boot trade: Fairly good, and a steady business is being donein all branches Clothing trade: Much the same a^ last month : except'onal'y busy for this timo of year. Retail trade (general) : Good all-round business doing. Miscellaneous : Brickmakers, follmongc-rs, cairiagcbuildors, painting, saddlery, all busy. Unskilled labour: Very few applicants for employment dining the month. Thera ceoms to be UWe difficulty in obtainingemployment for those desirous of manual labour. The laying of the electrical tramlines in the city lias freed the pressure- that existed some months ago as to ■employment. In Oamaru building trades are- good in both stone and wood, and all available hands are employed. Engineering trades are in a somewhat better position than, last month, and a good business is being done in the letai! trade. TYacb and business both in town and countiy is eon=iciprably improved. The crops in the district; are looking well, and a good h*>r T , est is anticipated. Property has considerably increased in value, and a decent house cannot be rented in the to-rn. There aie- very few unskilled labourers out of € :rn laymen fc in the district. Turning to "Ca'olutha, the building trades are described by the iournal as very bri-k, while tho evz'nc-r-mg trades are set down r.s bu c y. TuriiiyIhinnlng is suppling airpl^ work in the cistrict, with the rcbtilt that there me no unemployed. Building trade continues bury in Invercargill, while the ci giaeennq trader are in a very busy state, i good deal of overtime being made-. Fb\-millirig continues very active, and mi.b are l-eing, ercetod. wherever thero .s =unHcicnt flax to warrant it. Cainag^-build J , csbmoimakers, furniture facones, r>-a = t -'i and door factories all rontjiiue hu-v r thera is a fair demand !'■:• unskilled l.'lour. especially in tho flai-uuils.