LABOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14039, 23 October 1909, Page 5

LABOUR.

TOBACCO WORKERS DISMISSED. Press Afftt>ci:ition-By Telegraph-Copyright BERLIN, Oct. 21. . A thousand tobacco' workers have been dismissed in Germany, and more will have to go when the Christmas rush is over. Many who wovo given work on tho Berlin-Stettin Canal are obliged to discontinue, owing to physical unfitness. EMPLOYERS FINED. A JUDGE'S CKNSTJMC. . SYDNEY, Oct. 22. ' The president of, the, industrial Court in fining a number of Northern Colliery proprietors for bffcaclies'of the engineering award, said that the defendants' attitude under the now Aft bad been very obstinate,; They had fought it with great deliberation ever since it came into operation. ; PRESENTATION FROM MINERS. , Per Press .Association. WELLINGTON, Oct. 22. ! Mr P. 0. O'R-egan, of Wellington was entertained to-niglit by tlie dele-, gates to the Miners'"Federation and' presented with a gold watch, together, with a bracelt and watch attached-for, Mrs O'Regan. Mr E. Semple, of.Grey-; mouth, made the presentation, speaking in the highest terms of apprecia-.; tiou of tho services rendered by Mr, O'Regan as attorney to tho Miners'Federation, but more particularly to tho services given by Mr O'Regan at tho time of tho trouble in connection, with tho miners complaint and , Compensation Act. Mr O'Regan was not then attorney for tlio federation, butbeing on a holiday on tho West Coast at the timo took a leading part in the agitation against the medical 1 examination of miners—an agitation which led to the Government- indemnifying the' Government Life liisunyneo Department against claims arising from the 1 miners' complaint. EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION. ' DUNEDIN, Oct. 22. ; The annual meeting of tho Otago Employers' Association was held this afternoon. ■ Tho annual report stated that the. membership had reached high water mark last year when almost the whole of the employers in Dunedin were accounted for. ®jis year vthe membership had been maintained. Jhe year opened with a credit balance of £470 and closed wijtb,. a.- credit of £473, notwithstanding the . fact that the expenses were the /heaviest in the history of tho Association* The Report ,went >on -to, -stato that some of the amendments promised in connection with tho Factories-Act, were in the interests of employers as well as of workers; some .arc. in the interests of neither.,. Tf ;the . wouosal to bring in weekly employment in • ° l,r manufacturing trades • is, given effect to, it would prove a very serous interference, with the bnsis of all, lanoui in those trades, . as jt;i.mcant- lniymg workers for idle time.-*..<•. <>.■• ■ After referring to. tuo • ConoiJuition and Arbitration .Act ..the * report- sara—awing to: the attitude of the Court 111 practically calling a- > haltv.,to increased wages and tbe workers realising tho uselessness of going beforc.it with increased demands, as, :was i their. wout everv time the term of. ,am. award expired, they are' now .endeavouring to obtain bv conference, with. employers what they failed to obtain. ;from the Court and in some -they have succeeded Many _of oldpr workers are becoming tircd.'-of ;tho friction, expense and general. unrest caused bv the Arbitration Court proceedings and are exerting their influence, in favour of more conciliatory methods. A great majority of the disputes during the nnsfc .voir Lad Leon settled wit Lout inc. intervention of the Court. R Io those who arc not behind the scenes and judging from the newspaper reports, the new Act seems to ho working particularly well, but such is not quite tlie case. Two dangers threaten the industrial councils; the first is tho payment of members. ...In. the- past the best work had. by ;conferences with a good" number of representatives 0(1 either'side, Ifow that there is a guinea a day to bo made out of the sitting as industrial - they demand that the matter shall' be dealt with in council. The. representatives come to tlie: council under instructions, and have 110 power to give or take, and a settlement can only he arrived at by the employers giving wav. A second danger is brought about by a sort of rivalry amongst the Commissioners as to which one is most successful in settling trade disputes. So determined have the Commissioners been :it times to secure a settlement that they have advised the employers to give way 011 principles which will seriously prejudice other employers, and in' the end cause, more disputes than ever. For iiist so long as the workers of one district or trade have anything that has not been granted to all, so long will there be trouble and disputes. This asoert of the question is to be considered by the Now Zealand, Employers' Federation at its annual meeting, when no doubt instructions will be giypn t,o all secretaries to sec that the cases for employers are conducted .along uniform and safe lines. The following .office-bearers were elected —President, - J», C. Thomson ; viee-nresidents, ' Messrs J. W. Hcnton and R. Chisholm: committee, Messrs G. Fenwicki W r . Fels, A. Burt, R. Glendining, C. W. Rattray, G. Simnson. D. E. Theomin. P. R. Sar-o-ood, W. B. McFesi- E. • Cameron ; federation Executive, Messrs Thomson, Hcnton, Chisliolni and Simpson.