INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 17, 17 May 1912, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

THE WONTHAGGI DJSPL'T]

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.)

Melbourne, May 10. The miners at the Wonthaggi State mine have resumed work.

STEAMSHIP OWNERS

Sydney, May 10

The High Court granted the Coastal Steamship Owners' Association's application for a prohibition restraining the Arbitration Court and the Merchant Service Guild of Australasia from proceeding under an award made in April, 1911.

CANNOT MEET

Auckland, May 16

In the course of a letter to the secretary of the Auckland Waterside "Workers' Union regarding an invitation to a representative of the Farmers' Union Trading Association to attend a meeting of the transport branch of the New Zealand Federation of Labour at Wellington on the 15th inst., with a view to arriving at an amicable settlement on the question of the handling of obnoxious cargoes, the secretary of the Auckland branch of the Farmer:;' Union says, inter alia:—

"There is a difficulty in regard to the conference' proposed by you, inasmuch as it appears to be dominated by the Federation of Labour Association. My union entirely disapproves of the expressed aims and methods of that association, and while anxious to consult and agree if possible with your union it declines to send any representative of the Farmers' Union to take part in the deliberations of the New Zealand Federation of Labour. At the same time our union desires to carry out and continue the understanding arrived at when we met to consider the question of handling manures."

NO IMPORTATION OF HANDS

Chris tchurch, May 16

Interviewed, the Hon. G. Laurenson, Minister for Labour, stated : "There is a brisk demand for workers in most parts of the country, and I have heard no complaints of shortage of labour in any place. The only difficulty which is presenting itself is that of finding work for old men—men who have become partly incapacitated through illness or injury to hard work. Strong representations have been made as to i/he necessity of the Government taking steps to make provision for an imported sujjply of skilled labourers, farm hands, and domestic servants, hut, at present, the Government does not see its way clear to take any steps in that direction."

The Minister stated that there was a brisk demand for workers' dwellings both in the North and South Islands. He had that day inspected land at Oamaru and Timaru, where tenders were being called for the erection of 'homes.

Regarding dwellings for flaxmill hands, Mr Laurenson said that he had asked Mr Lomas, Mr Robertson, member for Otaki, and the secretary of the Flaxmill Workers' Union, to inspect a dwelling provided at the flaxmills for the accommodation of workers. There had been several complaints as to the nature of the accommotion provided, and the gentlemen whom lie had named would act as a sort of informal commission of inquiry, to ascertain wfoat the exact position was, and to make recommendations to him within the next few days.

HOME BOATS DELAYED. Timr.ru, May 10. Fogs delayed throe steamers, including two Homo boats, making port yesterday till 4.30 p.m. The explosive fog signal at Patiti Point kept going usefully. Twenty vans of frozen moat were waiting on the wharf for the Home boats yesterday, and when they came in the wharf hands refused to put it on board till the morning, adhering to the rule of the union that men shall not bo engaged after 4 p.m. to work steamers.

EIGHT HOUR DAY. (Received 17, 9.50 a.m.) London, May 16,

The Pall Mall Gazette says the whole of the Labour forces are concentrating in a scheme for an eight-hour day for everybody. The trade unions claim to have six million supporters for a series of demonstrations in June, and the Labour party is preparing for the enacting of an Eight Hour Day Bill.