WORK AND WAGES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10377, 5 February 1912, Page 3

WORK AND WAGES.

"SCAB." TJnitod Prass Association—By Electiio Telegraph—Copyright. (Received February 5, 8.5 a.m.)

VANCOUVER, FoWsry 4. A Judge at Portland, hela that the use of the term " scab," applied to non-unionists, was ;not a punishable offence unless accompanied by abusive words. Six men. wore adjudged guilty of a, breach ot tho peace and of using abusive language, including tho word " scab " to non-unionist workers at the railway shops.

[Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, February 5. Some of the tally clerks employed at the wharves declined to begin work this morning under their present pay of Is 3d per hour, considering that the work was worth as much as that of the waterside workers, who under the new award will receive Is 5d an hour from Thursday. The companies promised to consider the position. The positions of the men who ceased work were promptly filled. >

THE FLAX INDUSTRY. [Per Press Association.] PALMERSTON NORTH, Feb. 5,

The new demands by the swamp hands in the flax industry have been presented to the millers, and as some have not been agreed to there is a possibility of trouble. At a meeting of the Flaxmill Employees' Union the following resolution was passed:—"That this meeting expresses regret at the unsatisfactory replies secured from the Flaxmillers' Association to their requests for an alteration of the cpnditions of the work of the men employed in the swamps; that the Union requests an immediate answer to each of the clauses embodied in their claims, and, failing this, that they will call a mass meeting to deal with the matter, either with or without the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act." The demands deal with the conditions of work and only indirectly with remuneration, which is almost entirely piecework.