LABOUR UNREST

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 159, 31 March 1919, Page 7

LABOUR UNREST

REPORT OF JOINT COMMITTEE A NUMBER OF REFORMS RECOMMENDED By Telejraph-Freßs Association. Oopyrltrht London, March 2G. The Press Bureau reports: A unanimous .report. has; been, presented by the provisional joint committee appointed by' the Industrial Conference on February 27 to consider the causes of the present'unrest, questions of hours, wages, unemployment, and the promotion of cooperation between Capital and Labour. It recommends, inter alia, the legal establishment of the principle of the forty-eight-hour week; the discouraging, of systematic' overtime; minimum timerates wages; organised short time in periods, of depression; the acceleration of Government housing schemes; the State development cf new industries; more, adequate provision for unemployment, sickness, infirmity, and old age, and ithe establishment of a- perniauent national industrial council to advise the Government, consisting of four hundred members elected equally by the trade unions and the employers. I.i the event of a conference to be held on April 4 adoptingjthe report, the committee will urge the Government to give effect to it immediately,—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Beuter.

NEff ERA IN MINING FORESHADOWED .ASEESULT OF COMMISSION'S ' - WORK.; . „ London, March 26. At the conference of the executive of tho Miners' Federation and the Government, Mr. Bonar Law, in the of a long and conciliatory-statement dealing with the miners,, proposed modifications of. the Sankey'report. He said the Government was unable to go beyond Mr. Justice Sankey's chief recommendations. Mr Bonar Law emphasised the great benefits which would accrue to the miners if the report was accepted and a strike averted, and from the anticipated fall in the cost of living before the end of the year. Moreover, the commission would continue to sit and to issuoMnterim reports with regard to the betterment of mining conditions., , Mr. Smillie, in reply, undertook to submit ■ the position fully to the Miners Conference. He/ expressed! tho opinion that the continuation of the commission would probably open a new era, which would possibly do more to bring peace and prosperity to the mining industry than anything hitherto ia existence.— Aus.-N.Z, Cable Aesn.-Reuter. [Mr. Justice Sankey's' report, signed by himself and employers not directly concerned in the coal industry, recommended an immediate advance in wages of 25., equal to two-thirds of the men's demand, a reduction of hours to seven a day from the middle of July, and subject to the economic position of the' industry at the. end of; 1020, to six hours two yeais later.]

NOTTINGHAM MINERS FAVOUR THE STRIKE. London, March 28. A ballot of the -Nottingham miners resulted in 21,000 rotes in favour of continuing the strike and 15,250 against.. To-morrow's negotiations between. the 'employers and the- employed *}re\ thus threatened with complete breakdown.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.; ■ WORK RESUMED ' BY MAJORITY OF THE MINERS. (Eec. Jlaroh 30, 5.5 p.m.) '. London, March 28. Th majority of the miners have re-sumed—Aus.-N.Z. Cable A6sn.

TROUBLE IN JOHANNESBURG

DISORDER AT A" TOWN COUNCIL MEETING. (Rec. March 30, 11.5 p.m.) . • • . Johannesburg, March. 28.' A meeting of the Town Council, after a hot .debate, decided by. 18 votes to 13 to'retrenoh thirty employees of the municipal power-station. The galleries were crowded with council employees and other wprkers, wlio hurled threats arid curses at councillors, sang the "Red -Flag," and'dispersed in,disorder, There was a dramatic episode at the conclusion, n' Labourite councillor shouting:: "The council will rue the day it crossed swords with organised Labour."—Renter. THE BUILDING TRADE'S STRIKE, MASTERS AGAINST FURTHER CON- ... CESSIONS. (Rec. March 30, 11.5 p.m.) Johannesburg, March 28. A ballot of master builders in Johanl.csburg and Pretoria was - overwhelmingly against further concessions to the men on strike.—Router.'"