LABOR TROUBLES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11231, 21 March 1908, Page 5

LABOR TROUBLES.

(Press Assn.— By Telegraph.— Copy right.) SYDNEY, March 20. In the Assembly, Mr Wa<le t in moving the second reading of the Industrial Disputes Bill, said that they could not rely on moral sentiment only, if - they wanted the awards observed under all circumstances and by all parties. Employers generally had tangible assets to levy upon, but the case of the employes was different, and- therefore the Bill provided for the recovery of penalties, not only from individuals, but from the unions 'to. which they belonged, unless it could be shown that the unions had honestly done their duty in seeking to ha v© the awards respected.' He 'was .not pre2>ared to' 'concede preference to unionists, but if the two sides agreed on preference, they would be 'well within their rights. Mr Beeby stated the case for ,the Gpposition, and declared that the New Zealand Act , had been gradually built up by amendments; in which.- there was encouragement for the formation of unions, and provisions for collective bargaining never lost sight of. Legislation pri the New Zealand lin.e^ was desired here, and the Opposition were j>repared to accept the Bill if certain concessions were made. These included a permanent industrial court presided over by a Supreme Court judge, with absolute final jurisdiction; the maintenance of the present system of registration, organisation, and encouragement, with collective bargaining ; jlind .the extension of its scop© to include all matters of industrial dispute; power to ascertain and consider profits in fixing wages and industrial conditions." In further adjourning the Coal Miners', Court on account of the; strikes, the President stated that in face of "the continuous flouting of the Court, it had become a question whether he would withdraw, or stop the sittings of the Court. (Received March 21, 8.30 a.m.) Sydney; March 21. The conference of coastal companies and wharf laborers was continued today. Prospects of a. settlement are regarded hopefully. The South Bulli mining trouble has been amicably settled. , When the Newcastle Coal* Court, reassembled the president, announced that the Court could no longer, put up with the present position. It had waited three days for the Pelaw Main and Burwood pits to r.esume, without result. He commented ; strongly pit. the attitude ot the Miners' Federation. Either they could not or would not enforce discipline on ifcs ; members. Ifc seemed to oe an organisation whiclv was left at the mercy of its least responsible members. The j way the Federation acted at the bidding of the Company's employes resembled a general who in the middle of. battle had to go to the drummer boy and ask him not to upset his plans. The flouting of the Court was an affront to its self-respecti <and he would not stand it any longer. He closed the Court but said he would not send in his resignation immediately in order to give the parties time to consider the position. The closing, of the Court is regretted on both sides, and it is feared it will lead to a renewal and complication of the trouble. ' CHRISTCHUROH this day. A man named Frederick liennard com; mitted suicide by cutting his throat with a razor last evening. '.-•.. DUNEDIN, this day. The /body -of a "married woman named Mary Hubbaid, about 55 years old, who. resided in King- street, was found on' Tomahawk beach yesterday afternooni Deceased left home at about 11 a.m., stating she was going to have a look round. '. v ' James Brady, who was found in an unconscious condition on the railway line near Port Chalmers, on Wednesday week, having apparently been i struck by a passing train; . died in the hospital yesterday afternoon, without having regained consciousness. ■■_■ % iPartly as 'a result of the recent award in the engineering* trade and partly owing to the slack season, a number of men employed in the agricultural department of Messrs Reid and Gray's implement works were discharged this week. It appears that previous to the award, which came into force on Monday, wages paid were Bs, 9s, and ICs per day, while the award provides for a uniform rate of 11s. The firm, could not pay the rate awarded, and about a dozen men, were discharged. Their discharge necessitated the paying off of seven others. Members of the firm named said the award affected Otago aiid Southland only, and provided for a higher'rate than, was paid in Christchurch, where the rates were 7s and 8s per day. the result being that the firm was unable to compete ..with-., the manufacturers elsewhere. As stocks are fairly large, it would have been necessary, apart from the award, ' to pay off somo men. (Special to Herald.) As a result of conditions following on the engineering award recently fixed, after a conference between the masters and men, 19 men were paid off this morn, ing by. a well-known foundry firm. It is stated that the firm in question (Messrs Reid and Gray) were not represented at this conference, and that they ] do not consider it necessary to employ the class of man provided for at Is 4d per hour, and that the offer they made to retain the services of such of their men as consider themselves in this class was rejected, the men. being accordingly paid off. The whole matter has been referred to the. Labor Department. The union will consider the contention put forward in some quarters that the film's action constitutes a lock-out.