HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13891, 30 April 1909, Page 5

HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION.

CHRISTCHURCH, April 20. Mr A. IT. Carey, one of the managing committee in connection with tlic Thursday half-holiday, when asked to express on behalf of the committee his opinions on yesterday's poll, said that from the point of view of the retailers, and, he believed, also from that of the community generally, the result was most gratifying. Assuming- the. correctness of the statement, made by a Saturday supporter to the effect that there are 3000 shop assistants •in the city, and also that the greater proportion were in favour of Saturday,- the result of the combined poll showed that a little over 500 of the gehcral public supported the end of the week halfholiday. The -committee knew, however, that a large proportion of shoji assistants did not favour Saturday. " We -reckoned from the start when it was estimated that 0000 voters were in favour of Thursday, that we could carry the poll. There was, \yc believe, an underlying feelinir throughout the contest that the submission of the issue to the popular vote was an unwarranted interference with business —an interference that was resented by the public and employers alike. I was approached by one of the officers of tlie . Saturday organisation yesterday with a suggestion that the two orcnnisations should combine and work for n universal Thursday half-holiday. I want to say that if that is to b." considered an official sim-wstion. sneaking for myself, and I think I v"ice the feelings of the retailers generally. T am absolutely against interfering with the arrangements- of other cm plovers-.' I would regard it as the height of im*pertinence on our part to interfere with the arrangements of other employees in the same maimer that we looked upon interference of outsiders with our arrangements."

THE GENERAL LABOURERS. At the sitting of. the Conciliation Council at Christchurch, on Wednesday, Mr W'. J. Burdsley applied for exemption on behalf of the Timaru Harbour Board. In the Otago award, the Otasro Harbour Board were not included, and in "Wellington the Board were not included, these Boards not beihg cited. In the engine drivers' award also the Timaru Harbour Board had been exempted altogether. Mr Pryor asked for exemption on behalf of'the Timarif Borough Council and other local bodies in the district. If the Council could not grant the exemptions asked, he would, on behalf of the South' Canterbury employers and local !>odies, ask that conferences should be held between the representatives of the workers • and of the local bodies, with a view of reaching a settlement. At present the thing was too complicated to allow of any finality being reached.

Mr ft. 0. Bishop applied for exemption on behalf of the Christcluwh Gas Company. It necessary, ' for the convenience of the public, that the company should have full control of the staff. It was not so nnich a matter of wages a« of hours'and'general conditions. The conditions proposed would interfere with the convenience of the public. Mr W. J. Pryor said that the Timaru Gas Company also applied for exemption. Ml* Patterson said the nuittcr had been gone into two years ago bv the Arbitration Court, when the Chris t-chut-ch Gas. Company was remitted a viJry limited exemption, and lie could see no reason why that should now be aßnrcd. ; The Commissioner srtegrstcd that the gas Companies rimiht be bound by one award to cover hi 1 the branches of the wovk. • , Mr Patterson said there were too many rejections in the way. for the gas . companies only employed outside men at short intervals, arid such men tvonld then have to join t.wb'unions; • Mr Bishop said the Commissioner's suggestion was- a. good one, and there was, as far as lie crtuld see then, no reasons why it should not be carried' out-. ...

Per Tress Association. C'HIIISTCII.U RC.II, April '_»!). Tlie genei-hl labourers' • dispute was ngain before the Conciliation Council 1,6-day. . • _ A deadlock was reached this morning re' payment- of unskilled labourers, tho' employers offering Is, and the Union demanding Is I.UI. A private conference was held during the afternoon,-when most of the points in dispute were settled. The award will be made on .Saturday. At the Cloiie of the conference. Mr ■J. R. Trigg®, Conciliation Commissioner, was heartily thanked for the manner in 'which he had 'conducted the negotiation' which led to such a satisfactory ending.