AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 11131, 18 February 1886, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Per s.s. Rotomahana, at the Bluff.) (per united press association.) Melbourne, February 9. The Board of Arbitration, in deaUflg^ with the dispute between the snrg^l owners and Wharf Labourers' Union, are receiving evidence tendered by employers, in justification of their refusal to pay the labourers an increased rate of wages. Mr Siddily pointed out that in the case of the A.S.N. Company the average oarnings of 30 men for 46 days were 9s 6d for 8f hours' labour. Attention was also directed to the fact that shipowners were subjected to such keen competition that they could not possibly raise the rates of freights for either cargo or passengers; oon« oequently tbey could not increase the men's wages without subjecting them" selves to a serious loss. The Board nas been sitting with closed doors deliberate iag on the evidence which has been sub* mitted to them until nearly 4 o'clook this morning, when a decision was come to. With regard to coal labourers, an increase is to be given for handling small baskets, but to equalise the matter the Board decided to reduoe the amount paid for large baskets. The terms of the report are briefly these :— might hours to be considered a day's work, namely, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., two hours being allowed for meals ; that for general cargo, each of the first four hours of a day's work in any week to be paid at the rate of Is 3d per hour, after that at Is Id ; all overtime to be paid at the rate of Is 61 per hour. That except when the work on general oargo is suspended, from accident or bad weather, any labourer engaged during the three first working hours shbuld not be paid for less than two hours ; if engaged during the latter portion of the day not less than one hour. A terrible explosion occurred at the ice works, Ballarat, yesterday morning, by which two persons lost their livei. The whole of the buildings were completely wrecked ; and Thomas Jenkins, the proprietor, has been so seriously injured that it is considered doubtful whether he will recover. The iee -making machine was one of Yass and LetI man's, known as the direot heating, the refrigerating being effeoted by means of ammoniaoal gas.