TRADES A]STD LABOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 26

TRADES A]S T D LABOUR.

LONDON, July 31.

Mr H. Gladstone ha 6 appointed a committee to inquire into the probable economic effect of the adoption of an eight hours day in mines. Mr W. Russell Rea, iI.P. for Scarborough, will be the chairman, and other members are Professor Cox (of the Eoyal College of Science), Sir Robert Giffen (the eminent statistician), and Profeesor Redmayne (of Birmingham University).

August 2.

In connection with the scheme recentlj outlined by Mr John Burns (President of the Local Government Board) for assisting the unemployed, the Government has entrusted Lord Carrington (President ol the Board of Agriculture) with 4000 acres for the puipose. Other Crown lands will be treated similaily when the existinglea6es expire.

The Corporation of West Ham has obtained an injunction against the Plaietow land-grabbers.

A deputation representing the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress, the General Federation of Trades Unions, and the Labour members in Parliament, submitted to Sir H. CampbellBannerman and Mr Sydney Buxton (Post-niaster-genoral) their objections to the» large amount of preference that was given to time-expired soldiers and sailors for employment at the Post Office and othei branches of the public service, to th« prejudice of the ordinary labour market.

It is repoited that Sir H. Campbell Bannei man's reply was satisfactory.

SYDNEY, August 3.

The Arbitration Court refused to "brin^ city and suburban dairymen under a common rule. The court considered it would be unfair to do so unless the wages of country dairymen were also raised.

Mr Broen, secretary of the Otago Trade* and Labour, Council, writes as follows: — "I am directed by the Trades and Labour Council of Otago to disclaim any responsibility for, or knowledge of, the private deputation which wad reported to have waited on the Premier while he was in Dunedin in reference to preference to unionists.''