WELLINGTON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2135, 9 March 1908, Page 1

WELLINGTON.

(Special to “Times”) AVELLINGTON, Alarch 5. Tlio sales on the Change to-day wero as follows:—Tairua Broken Hills 3s 10d, Talisman £2 13s, Loan and Mercantile ss, Gisborno Gas Coy. £1 paid (£2 10s), Taupiri Coal £l6 Os 6d, It is probable that the Police ballot regarding the Public Service Superannuation Scheme, will not be taken till after next session of Parliament, owing to the necessity of making certain necessary amendments in the Act. The AA’ellington members of the police force have obtained the legal opinion of Messrs P. O. Skerrett K.C. and A. Grey on the question as to whether, in tho event of the police electing to come under fho Ait, they would be treated as‘contritutors, ’’ or “original contributors.” The opinion is to the effect, that contributors, to the police provident fund, would run a serious risk, if they wanted the Public Service Superannuat'on 3’rnd upon the assumption that they vi-re entitled to the same benefits from tho fund as original contributors under the Act.

No fewer than 250 girls are attending the bookkeeping, shortlianl, and type-writing classes at the technical school, whereas there are only 40 who. are learning to cook. The directors-of j the school thinks there Ls not quite so' much indifference shown to the art of housekeeping, by the young Sd'os of Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin. Possibly there are better onportunities for girls to obtain congenial offico work in the capital than in the other centres. Labor in the Wellington district does not appear to be at all satisfied with its lot to-day. At the Gear Company’s -works the men engaged in the fellmongering department, who wore in receipt of a wage of ls ljd an hour, demanded an increase of 3d an hour and left work. The managing director gave the men till 3 p.m. to consider an offer of lid an hour, bringing their wages up to Is 3d an hour. The men accepted the offer and work was immediately resumed. The men, it is understood, -would liavo refused to have continued at work on the old terms, had their demands not been in part acceded to, as the hands in other departments receive not less than Is 3d an'hour. The men affected, are not members of any union. Considerable dissatisfaction is being expressed by the Wellington Plasterers Union against the recent award of the Arbitration Court, which affects the city only. A dispute was filed concerning the outlying districts bht it is stated that the union is so •dissatisfied with the previous determination of the court, that it lias now decided to withdraw the case by way of protest. .