LABOUR MATTERS

Southland Times, Issue 16843, 20 September 1911, Page 5

LABOUR MATTERS

THE TROUBLE IN' IRELAND. SERIOUSLY DEVELOPING. ' • [By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright.] LONDON. Sept. 18. The strike in the southwest of Ireland lias assumed serious proportions. Dublin, Limerick, Enniscorthy and Tipperary are isolated. The strikers burned the house of a .signalman who remained at work at Thurles. Two revolver shots were died and the signalman had a narrow escape. The strike lias extended to Queenstown, disorganising the American mails. LONDON, September 19. Received September 19, 10.10 p.m. A thousand holders-up have struck on the Clyde, in defiance of the executive rendering idle a thousand riveters. Practically all grades of the Great Southern and Western lines in Ireland have struck and goods truffle is chaotic. The trouble is not acute on the Great Northern and Midland lines. Various regiments have been ordered to Dublin. The shore staff of the London and North-Western Company, engaged on Dublin Quay, have struck and enormous quantities of perishables' are imperilled. A meeting of non-unionist railwaymen at W.ldnes resolved td--form a society of. free workers. Speakers protested against the tyranny of trade unions.

THE RAILWAY COMMISSION. LONDON, Sept. 18. Mr Claud Hamilton gave evidence before the Commission that the majority of the Great Eastern men desired to deal direct with the employers as the recognition of trade unions would lead to chaos, would be disastrous commercially and would enable an organised few to tyrannise over the unorganised majority. THE LESSON OF THE STBZKES. LONDON, Sept. 18. Addressing the National Brotherhood at the Albert Hall, Mr Masterman (Under-Secretary for the Home Office) ‘declared % that the recent uprising of unskilled labour was due to the feeling of hope that was entering the hearts of the slum dwellers. When society learned that the carters, who had resumed work, were satisfied to toll for 12 hours a. day for 27s a week, and that the girl mothers of Bermondsey were living In a new world because they had gained an extra shilling weekly, he thought the lesson that had been given about the need of setting our house in order was worth the tumult of the strike. PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS. MELBOURNE, Sept/ 19. A Trades Hall deputation to Mr Fisher discussed preference to Unionists. Mr Fisher stated definitely that the Government policy was to give preference to Unionists, and he would stand or fall by that. He would ajiply it even to clerks seeking temporary employment with the Government. x TRE LITHOOW TROUBLE. SECRETARY DIXON IMPRISONED. SYDNEY, Sept. 19. Received Sept. 19, 8.10 p.m. Dixon, secretary of the Llthgow ironworkers, has been sentenced to two months’ hard labour on a charge of aiding persons taking part in a strike. WORKERS WANTED. ■ SYDNEY,’Sept. 19. , A dearth of workmen continues in the building trade. Suburban contractors are offering 15s a day to bricklayers. > • WORK FOB UNEMPLOYED. (Per United Press Association). WELLINGTON, September 19. The ' Mayor of Wellington was waited on by a deputation of unemployed today asking for work. Mr Wilford saw the. Minister with the result’that he was able to announce that fifty men could be given pick and shovel work at once on the Stratford-Qngarue /railway. Others will he absorbed in municipal works which are under way or about to be started. The position had become acute as the result of the completion of certain suburban municipal works. BOILERMAKERS’ AWARD. WELLINGTON, September 19. The award of the Arbitration Court in the boilermakers’ and iron shipbuilders’ dispute has been filed. So far as it relates to the ironmasters, it is based on the recommendation of the Conciliation Council, which the masters agreed to accept. The hours are fixed at 48 per week, and wages at Is 4%d per hour for first class boilermakers and Is 3d for second class. The same wages are paid by the Union Company. Mr M’Cullough does not concur with it and special provisions relating to the exemption of the Union Company. There are also exemptions for builders and other eiuployers \< - ho are engaged in the iron Industry, but who do not come within the scope of the award, BREACH OF AWARD. WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. The Inspector of Awards, Mr R. A. Bolland, proceeded against Win. Wilson, contractor, Rintoui street, in the Magistrate’s Court before Dr. McArtliui’, S.M., to-day for breaches of the Wellington’ building trades award. It was alleged in the informations tlsat Wilson employed a labourer and paid him £1 per week, instead of Is llAd per hour, as required by the award ; also that lie had failed to pay wages weekly. Defendant, who did not appear, was mulcted in penalties amounting to £2. MERCHANT SERVICE AWARD. WELLINGTON. Sept. 19. ’ The award of the Arbitration Court in the Merchant Service Guild dispute has been filed with the Clerk of Awards (Mr Eustace Stocker). A number of demands were objected to and the employers submitted counter proposals. The Court decided that the minimum rate of wages to be paid to certificated officers on steamers coming within the scope of the award shall lie £ls per calendar month for the first officers, and £l2 for second officers. The award applied only to steamers the gross ton-, nage of which was not less than 100 tons and not more than 600 tons. The Guild asked for £lB for chief officers, £l4 for second and £l2 for third officers of ships of 1000 gross register tonnage and under ; but the employers offered on steamers from 241 to 600 tons 414 to £ls for first officers on passenger boats and £l3 to £l4 on cargo boats ; for second officers £lO to £l2 on passenger steamers and £lO to £ll on cargo boats. Except in special circumstances connected with the safety of the steamer an officer shall not be kept at work continuously for more than twelve hours without an interval for rest of at least four hours. When an officer is in his home port his work in connection with discharging and loading shall be so arranged and limited ns to give him as much time off as is reasonably possible, and lie shall not be required to supervise the. work of cleaning or painting or any similar work in such port. Officers after twelve months’ continuous service shall be entitled to fourteen days’ holiday, to be taken at a lime convenient to the employer. Sucii holidays may be allowed to accumulate by agreement, but not beyond three years. If an officer is discharged for any cause other than misconduct lie shall receive payment in lieu of holiday in proportion to time of service from his last holiday or the date of his engagement. Whenever an officer has to change his home port In consequence of transfer from one service or ship of shipowner to another, he shall be allowed on giving reasonable notice a free first-class passage for his family and effects In any vessel of the owner that goes to or towards his destination. Employers shall not discriminate against members of the union and shall not in the engagement or dismissal of officers do anything directly or indirectly for the purpose of Injuring the union. A victualling allowance of 4s per day Is provided for when meals .are not given on board. The sum asked for was ss. The award will come into force on 2nd October. 1911, and continue for two years.