LABOR DISPUTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 189, 17 August 1901, Page 4

LABOR DISPUTES.

AN EMPLOYER HEAVILY FINED. [By Telegraph Press Association.] Wellington, last night, The Arbitration Court has fined Henry Fielder £SO and costs for employing two men at a less rate of wages, and employing a greater number of apprentices than allowed under the award.

Dunedin, last night. Tho Arbitration Court delivers an award in the boilermakers’ and metal workers’ dispute on Monday week. In the meantime it visits the local works. Mr Applegarth, for the metal-workers, said that out of 82 members of the Union when the case was first brought, not more than a dozen we e now employed, and he was afraid when the award was delivered noi e of the original workers would bo left. The Coal-miners’ Union are asking for enforcement of an award against the owners of the Kaitangata Mine. Four distinct breaches are alleged.

; The following is among the stories told by the good young reporter sent by Christchurch Truth to interview the barmaids in regard to the Buda Pesth regulation that all barmaids must be forty years of age : —“ A short walk brought the man in search of copy to a quiet semi-rural hostelry. The lady bar-tender was alone, and seemed pleased to see a prospective customer. By the twist of her eyebrow it was plainly to be remarked that she had mentally labelled him Sunday - school teacher off the chain. The lady was slightly suspicious, and placing her elbows akimbo on the counter, demanded, 1 What are you after, anyhow ? ’ A few judiciously soothing words calmed her fears, and proved sufficient to induce a cautious opinion on the matter at issue. 1 Barmaids, eh ! What do I think of the game'? We know where we are. If we didn’t like it we shouldn’t be here. Speaking in an all-round way, barmaids get better paid, ! better treated, and better fed than lots of girl workers, and if a girl has sense she can take care of herself. She certainly has some things to put up with, but, till the millenium arrives, I'm a barmaid. When I reach forty, if I’m not married, I’m going io your Hungarian city. We can’t all be typewriters, dressmaking is killing work (I’ve tried it), and domestic service in many families is too appalling to think about —it is positive slavery. Men are seldom really rude to a barmaid. Where do I expect to end up ? Oh, well, you see, as I said before, there’s always Suda-Pestb."