WORK AND WAGES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10297, 31 October 1911, Page 3

WORK AND WAGES.

PUBLISHED AT 5 01.

THE BRITISH RAILWAY MEN

WRANGLING STILL CONTINUES United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received October 31, 10 a.m.) LONDON, October 30.

Mr Bellamy,' at Glasgow, declared that the railway men's agitation was just beginning. It had been a twenty or twenty-four hours job hitharto, but tho next time he was going to fighi for direct collective bargaining. The railway men of Leeds, Chester, Northampton, Burtpii-ou-Trent, Cardiff and Swansea are repudiating tho Commission's .finding. A railway men's meeting at Swansea demanded tho resignation of Mr Williams, the general secretary, as a member of the Industrial Council.

Mr Thomas, organising secretary of the Western district, at a meeting at Crewe, denied that the men's representatives were pledged to accept the findings. His advice to the managers would be to discuss tho report with the men's representatives, eliminate the bad, adopt the good, and so prevent a disastrous strike.

Mr Ramsay Mac Donald, at Chester, said that unless the grievances were properly discussed the public must be prepared for tho consequences, namely, a paralysed railway service.

FREE LABOUR CONGRESS

PICKETING. (Received October 31, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, October 30,

A congress of the National Free Labour Association, representing 800,000 workmen, has opened in London. It was resolved —" That, in view ol the many violences during the recent strike, it is essential to repeal the Trades Disputes Act, which trade union pickets regard as an excuse for industrial terrorism."

Questioned regarding the Employers' Parliamentary Council's memorial protesting against the tyranny of picketing, Mr Asquith said that the Government was considering the matter. The law was not inadequate to stop intimidation, but the difficulties were due to the impossibility of procuring evidence.

THE SYDNEY STRIKE.

THE SITUATION. (Received October 81, 10.10 a.m.) , SYDNEY, October 31. ' Business people express great dissatisfaction at the apparent inability of tho Government to cope with the situation resulting from the strike, and declare that the Arbitration Act is a dead letter. Mr Carmichaol is disappointed at the non-acceptance of his offer to do stevedoring,, and states that he understood that the parties who waited on the Government were anxious to prevent loss to producers and the country, but he was apparently mistaken. MELBOURNE, October 31. .. The Trades Hall Council discussed a letter from Mr Morris, secretary of the Waterside Workers' Federation, icquesting support in an endeavour to persuade the men to return to wqrk. The 'letter states that an agreement honourably entered into was broken without provocation or notice. The discussion was adjourned. The Melbourne wharf labourers condemn the action of the strikers. CLERKS' WAGES. (Received October 31, 10.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, October 31. The Clerks' Union has filed an application to the Wages Board, claiming £3 for a week of thirty-nine hours. LABOURERS' UNIONS AMALGAMATION. MELBOURNE, October 31. A conference of the various labourers' unions throughout the Commonwealth decided to amalgamate, and will start with a membership of 25,000, and will have a uniform ticket of 10s per year. THE MOUNT LYELL STRIKE. The Mount Lyell strike is still on. The company demands that the men shall return unconditionally. If they do,, the company will grant a conference. The men decline to return until the White question has been disposed of satisfactorily.