LABOUR AFFAIRS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 170576, 5 August 1921, Page 2

LABOUR AFFAIRS.

IRISH CONGRESS. WAGE REDUCTION PROPOSED. By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. Received 5.5 p.m., Aug. sth. LONDON, Aug. 3. The Irish Labour Party and Trade Union Congress at Dublin debated the cost of living and proposed allround reduction of wages. The executive combatted the official estimates of the present cost of living, which they contended were 178 per cent, above pre-war standard, compared with the official figure of 132 per cent. The chairman declared that there very shortly would occur one of the greatest upheavals in the Irish Labour movement's history. One delegate proposed taking up the employers’ challenge en masse, adding: “That means facing the iiossibility of social revolution.’’

Received 8.50 p.m., August 4. LONDON, August 3. The Federated Shipbuilding Employers’ meeting at Edinburgh considered the failure to end tho shipjoiners strike. They regard iiliie position as most serious, in view of the orders going abroad and the absence of orders in the Homo yards. The meeting decided it could r.ot make the joiners a new offer. [The shipjoiners’ strike has continued for tho past eight months:]

JAPANESE INDICTED. Received 5.5 p.m., August 4. HONOLULU, August 3. Twenty Japanese, many of whom are prominent persons, have been indicted on charges of criminal conspiracy in connexion with the violence attending the sugar plantation strike last year. SHORTER HOURS. TO LESSEN UNEMPLOYMENT. Received 11.45 p.m.. August 4. SYDNEY, August 4. In order to obviate the necessity of the dismissal of 200 employees, the Lithgow Small Arms Factory employees decided to reduce the working hours to 30 weekly, and receive less wages. EXEMPTION REFUSED. BRISBANE, August 4. The Minister of Mines refused the Mount Morgan Co’s application for exemption from labour conditions for a period of six months.