WORK AND WAGES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6551, 31 July 1899, Page 3

WORK AND WAGES.

The Canterbury Trades and Labour Council has decided to urge on the Premier the necessity for the Court of Arbitration sitting at Christchurch as soon as possible. There are several cases waiting for the decision of the Court, some of ■which were filed two or three months ago, and the Council points out the inconvenience to the trades interested by the delay at present occasioned. It is understood that owing to the indisposition of Mr Justice Edwards the sitting of the Court which was to have been held here next week has been indefinitely postponed. Mr Lomas has received instructions from the Minister of Labour- to send some of the men who have put down their names as unemployed at the local bureau, to the Midland Railway works at Patterson's Creek. There has been such a heavy fall of snow there, however, that all the men engaged on that section have had to stop work, and several of them have come to town. It will therefore be impossible to find work for any more men -there at present. In spite of the fact that ~a number of men have put down their names for employment, it is stated on the best authority that labour is very scarce in the country districts, and the Selwyn County Council and several of the country Road Boards find it impossible to get their contracts taken up. The Courtenay Road Board invited tenders for no less than twenty -eight contracts, and failed to- get a single reply.