LABOUR ITEMS.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3462, 5 January 1901, Page 3

LABOUR ITEMS.

United Press Association—Per Electric Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, January 4. The Antwerp dock strikers have accepted the employers' conditions. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, January 4. The Conciliation Board is sitting to-day to hear a dispute bet-ween the "Press*' Company and the "Lyttelton Times" Company, and the Canterbury Typographical Union. The employers ask that the Wellington award of the Arbitration Court shall be inade to apply to Canterbury. The Union ask that the rates be raised to 3jd per thousand for linotype operators. Mr G. Fenwick, "Otago Daily Times," and Mr J. C. Wilkin, " Lyttelton Times, represent the employers. It was decided to combine the cases of the two papers.and take them togetheer. Mr G. Fenwick, on behalf- of the newspapers, asked that the award made by the Arbitration Court in Wellington be applicable to Cliristchurch.

The representatives of -the Union said that they were prepared to take the Wellington award with variations. They did not think the award had been properly read with regard to ."fat," as it was the intention of the Court that such things as double-column advertisements and tables should be included in it. Mr Fenwick and !MV J. O. Wilkin held that the " fat'' should be set by the house, and the operators should not charge for it. After evidence had been given, the Board decided that the best plan would be for it to make a recommendation to the Arbitration Court with regard to' making the Wellington award applicable to Chx-ist-church, with a provision for the removal of any inequalities that existed. The Union also asked for a higher rate of wages for piece-work at night. A decision in this case" will also affect the Timaru papers and all newspapers using typeset tin rr machines in Canterbury.

The Union, also asked that tlie price for piece-work on the Hattersley typesetting machines be 5d per thousand ens for night work and 4fd day •work. Mr Smith, of Smith, Anthony and Sellars, appeared against the Union in the case, and said that this special machine was simple and could be worked under different conditions from other machines. The demands of the men in regard to wages, apprenticeship and other matters would be impossible.

The Board give their decision early next week.