LABOUR ITEMS

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3558, 3 May 1901, Page 3

LABOUR ITEMS

THE CONCILIATION BOARD. Per Press Association WAIHI, May 2. The Board of Conciliation examined Snelgar, underground manager of the Jubilee mine, re the dismissal of Humphreys. Witness declared that dismissal was not due to Humphreys giving evidence before the Board, but because he was away too long, and failed to report himself, necessitating the employment of another hand. DUNEDIN, May 2. The Conciliation Board gave its decision in the Kaitangata dispute to-day. The Board ordered the parties to the dispute to enter into an industrial agreement as follows —Engine-drivers to be paid a minimum wage of £2 16s a week; firemen to receive a minimum wage of 7s per day ; firemen to receive wages equal to time and a half on Sundays; firemen to receive assistance to tip coal for firing purposes. The Board fixed thei 9th inst. as the day for the parties to attend to say whether they accept the recommendation. In connection with the Shag Point dispute, the Board decided that trucking by miners shall not be over 75 yards; for every 25 yards or part of 25 yards beyond this distance, the miner to be paid 4d extra per ton." The miner is not to be responsible for his road beyond one chain from the face. Brushing is to be measured from the top of the sleeper to the roof. At the Conciliation Board, the recommendations in the dispute between the Bakers' Union and the master bakers of Southland were that an agreement similar to the Dunedin agreement' be entered into. The proceedings in connection with the Nightcaps coal-miners' dispute were adjourned to the 9th May. ARBITRATION COURT.

CHRISTCHURCH, May 2. A 1 number of boot manufacturers at the Arbitration Court this morning stated that the boot manufacturing industry in the colony is steadily increasing, and that importations from America were steadily increasing. Also that retailers imported the greater part of their stock, as they could thereby make a greater profit. Evidence in the bootmaking dispute is concluded, and representatives of either side address the Court this afternoon.

[ Consideration of the dispute in connecI tion with the boot trade was concluded before the Arbitration Court this afternoon. The Cour< will now take time to consider its award. Before the case was disposed of, Mr Frostick, president of the Federated Employers' Association, said that whatever the Court might have done it had helped to bring about the great good feeling which had prevailed throughout the hearing of the case between the representatives of the employers and the Workers' Union. The delegates endorsed these remarks. Most of the evidence taken today went to prove that the industry is suffering greatly from importations, especially from America, and could not bear the strain of extra wages or shorter hours. The dispute in connection with the ironmoulders' industry will be taken when the Court resumes to-morrow morning. Several other disputes have yet to be considered, and it is not likely that the Court will finish the sittings here for at least ten days.