LABOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14538, 6 September 1911, Page 5

LABOUR.

THE BAIL WAY COiDIISaIOX. CONCILIATION MACHINERY DEFECTIVE. CONCILIATION OR 'WAR. Press Association—Ey Tel.—Copyright. Becolved 9.15 p.m., Sept. 6tli. LONDON', Sept. 5. Moat of the witnesses before the Eoyal Commission favoured a special board for each railway, with a National Board as a Court of Appeal. TJio Commission inquired whether the tri r buna! should be empowered to arrive at a binding decision. The spokesman for tho Great Eastern, South Eastern, and Chatham employees, said they were against giving an independent chairman of a national board a casting vote in order to secure n doflnit-* result. Mr Ellis remarked that withoutan independent: chairman difference must load to a deadlock. The SouthEastern man replied that ttoero must bo conciliation or war. Tto companies must know that -unless thoy oonc.Uara there will be war. Two witnesses suggested a fortnight's notice to strike in the event of uhe failure of the conciliation machinery.

Sixty railway workers gave evidence before the Railway Comm'ssion. On* declared that the obncilii-tion scheme, as an instrument for collective bargaining, wis useless because the companies dealt with individuals, and if one man's wages wore increased this amount was taken off elsewhere. . TRADE UNION CONGRESS. LONDON, Sept. 4. The Trade Union Congress at Newcastle is being attended by 520 delegates representing 1,667,000 members. The presidential address stated that the recent labour unrest had resulted in concessions which hitherto had been denied. The president 6aid that tho railway directors had been taught a. lesson, and were probably wiser nien for the trouble. It was supremo folly for any body of employers to decline, to recognise a powerful trade union. . The principal resolutions seek to secure an amalgamation of all. 11:110113 connected with each industry, mid a central national organisation comprising all union societies. RecoVed 10.30 p.m., Sept. Ctsh. MINERS' MINIMUM -WAGE. Mr Onions, secretary to tho Soath Wales Miners' Association, declares that thore would bo a general strike, soon on the question of minimum wages. VOLUNTEER STRIKE DEFENCE. Tho civil, mechanical, and electrical engineers are forming a citizen service corps to safeguard food supples and maintain communication and distribution during strikes. ' .MANAGERS GIVE WAY. Tho' ctrike at Sheffield has been averted, the two reduced guards' wages btfing restored. EMPLOYERS' NEW TACTICS. DISCONCERT THE MINERS. "SYDNEY, Sept. C. The Northern colliery owners liavo created consternation among tho miners by declaring that there will bo no more conciliation. In future the- miners must refer their grievances.to tho Wages Boards. There are many rumours that the present troubles will develop into a general strike. Several Lithgow rioters were fined £5 and not allowed time in which to pay. WATERSIDE WORKERS MEN OF PEACE. Per Press .Association. AUCKLAND, Sept. 5. The Waterside Workers Conference to-day carried tho following motion :- "That in the event of any two nations of the world declaring war on one another the conference pledges itself along with other workers of the world to dec!aro for pence."

* AN INCONSISTENT MINISTER. Reference was made to discontent among members of the Patea branch. Thev had ga'ncd so, littio through the Arbitration Court that they had cuicelled their registration. They also complained that tf.o ruilwaymon who struck in sympathy with tljem last December liad not' b"een re'nstuted. The Minister when appealed to said ho would not recogn'so any Union. Tlio Conference resolved to write to tho Minister' protesting against his inconsistency in protecting uuinn'sts in Lyttelton "and non-unionists in Patea, turn asking him to reinstate tbo men oxsnvssed at Patea.