LABOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13635, 1 July 1908, Page 5

LABOUR.

EIGHT HOURS. BILL CONDEMNED

Press Ansociation-By Telegraph»-Copynghx Received 9.15 p.m., June 30th. LONDON, June 30. The Council of the. "Northumberland . Miners'• Association by 55 votes to 23 votes, condemned the Miners' Eight Hours Bill. The miners of, the district' Will shortly ballot upon the question.

NEW LEGISLATION IN FORCE

SYDNEY, June 30.

The Arbitration Act has ceased to exist; the Industrial Disputecv Act takes i|s place, operating from to-morrow. / THE WATERSIDE WORKERS, Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 30, The Waterside Workers Conference today decided to send Mr D.. MeLarenj-of Wellington, secretary of the conference,;to Australiain order to form an alliance between the New Zealand: and = Australian VVaterside.: Workers for the protection of mutual, interests. THE WELLINGTON BAKERS. WELLINGTON, June 3fh There is little to report in •reference to to the strike of bakers. .; The-'position'-.'is; unchanged. A few bakers are turning out a little ' bread, and householders'.'.-'are doing as/,best: they caii under; the circumstances. It is estimated that' aboutg7oCo. loaves . were' distributed.-; to-day; ■- whereae the usual daily . output 'is' about 3tJ;000 loaves. . •

The Timber Workers' Union paeeed a re-. solution of syiripathy with ■ the strikers tonight. ■"-'./,-■- The-.. Drivers' U/hipn met this evening, and- decided', not to .call -out- menibers of the Union who drive bakers' : carts, but to.leare/them 'free,; to-leaye .work on.;a Week's notice, if they had /good reason to Jjelieve that blackleg ...labour, is being employed in 'bakeaiblises:-.'■,. . : / : T;he>maSter, bakeri and the .strikers reside showing/Hie least indication -/tqSyiefcl. ■'■:■ - V'

THE WATERSIDE WORKERS. WELLINGTON, June 30. At tJife Federated W ateieide .\V orkers' Conlereiiee a. year of; eceatty progress. • 111 building lip ilie orgaui-sation Oi tue tederation was:-recorded-: iu the - second'/annual report. lhe growth of .the.-,federation' was shown by . the fact that -at tlie first conference in 1906, lour Onioui had been represented ; last year i t-he number . was eii, while at the present conference; eight Unions had direct representatives. . 'lhe numerical, .strength ot- the affiliated. Unions was 1200 in 1906, 2400, in J. 90- anil 4600. at the present time. . - The federation-was' still in- its infancy, and. a' great deal had yet. to bo done,- 'but the progmss made compared most favourably with »that of similar . organisations elsewhere. v, The -finances .were- ona .sound basis, • - hot the Unions: which wereafliitated would have to. spend more largely in- advancing*.the work if the federation, was. to. be of greater service. .The ; large volume of correspondence which • had -passed between the executive and. the Unions seemed to indicate that the latter .were' recognising the value of . the federation -as a centre of unity. -It had been found that the Labour. liepartment had been- ready to consult, with: and- help Mlie executive whenever • difficulties had ariisen. Most of the work bad beeri done in the d#ection of strengthening the -positions: of the unions in affiliation. . Altogether, unions were making steady advances.' • The conclusion. of the report wtw a plea for fuller and more widespread organisation. i. There was considerable discussion in camera.^ on .a trouble which had arisen over the 'cancellation - of; the -: registration of the Ounedin .Wharf Labourers' Union.' It was ultimately, decided-thafc this-conference oq. behalf -of- the federation should defend the action of the -Dunedin Union in. demanding the cancellation of its t registration;..- Another committee matter was the'refusal of ilia men at Gisborne'' to work-: at a-lower rate of wages. -'After an explanation by. the Gisborne representative anil'some: d is-' cussion, it .. was decided' that this, conference} endorses .the action of the Gisborne men jn refusing: to work at a reduced-scale arid will support the Gisborne Union financially.