WORK AND WAGES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4713, 3 August 1893, Page 3

WORK AND WAGES.

[Special to Press Association.! LONDON, August 2. ( The coalmine owners are offering to negotiate for a compromise. The miners have issued a manifesto stating that their average wages only amount to eightpence per hour, and that they have never shared in high prices when times were good. The strikers at Dewsbury attacked the working miners. The police were called in, and daring the affray several of them were injured.

[Per Pbbhb Association.} WELLINGTON, August 2. The opinion of members of the local Seamen's Union who are employed by the Union Company is not unfavourable to the £1 reduction announced by the Company, but they strongly object to compulsory joining of the Company's Benefit Society. The reduction was not altogether without anticipation. A circular was issued to members of the Union, and the result is to accept the reduction of £1, if compulsory ; joining of the society mentioned is not enforced. It is probable that a conference will be arranged with the Union Company's officials. Exception is taken to the laßt paragraph of the Union Company's circular, the opinion of the men being that in the event of revival of trade the present rate of wages should be reinstated. At a large meeting of employers tonight, it was decided to wait on the Minister for Labour protesting against compulsory closing on Saturday afternoon as provided in the Shop Hours Bill. A petition against the clause ia in circulation, and in a few hours one hundred names were attached.

[Special to the " Stab."] WELLINGTON, August 3. It ia not anticipated that there will be any trouble over the proposed reduction in the wages of the Union Steamship Company's employees. The men are willing to eubmit to the reduction necessitated by the state of trade, but they consider that under the circumstances the Mutual Benefit Society, which they are compelled to contribute to, should be abolished. In anticipation that a reduction would be madp, the men were asked by circular a short time ago whether they would agree to a reduction on condition that compulsory joining of the benefit society was done away with, and the unanimous answer was that they would agree to a reduction on the condition named *

They were asked whether they would agree to arrange for a conference with the Company, and they unanimously replied in the affirmative. It ia the intention of a number of the men to seek an interview with the Company's offloials at Dunedin, and to give their views on the matter. With reference to the statement made by Mr Mills, that since the strike no reduotion haa been made in wages, the Seamen's Union states that the number of hands, mainly on steamers, has been reduced. For instance, there is one less on the Mahinapua since the strike, two less on the Grafton and similar reductions on the other coastal boats, while in the intercolonial steamers there arefourhanda less. Many of the hands express great astonishment at the concluding sentence of Mr Mills' oircular; they Bay that a veiled threat as to further reduction should not have been made; and they think that if trade improves their wages should be reinstated.