TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1919, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

IPWI PIU4BS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT. ENGINEERS DEMANDS. WAIHI, July 17. Recently the Ohinemuri branch of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers made application to the mine owners for certain increases of wages to bring them into line with the increase gran_ ted through the Court to Engineers elsewhere in tile Dominion, and as a result of a conference here, an amicable settlement was reached, and ratified at a meeting of the union last evening. Though the conferences were held in camera, it i^ 1 understood that virtually, the demands were acceded to.

THE INGA DEADLOCK. WANGANUI, July 17

The deadlock in connection with the steamer Inga, continues. For the past three days the vessel has been at the wharf waiting for labour to unload her coal cargo. So far efforts to get the local atersiders to work the vessel have been unavailing, as the ship’s crew are non-unionists, but negotiations are still in progress and an amicable settlement is hoped for. The position is very serious for the local municipal gasworks, as only small coal stocks are on hand.

SADDLERS’ WAGES. AUCKLAND, July 15. Dissatisfaction at the action of the Arbitration Court in not allowing members of the Auckland Saddlers’ Union increased wages and a war bonus, for which application was made at a recent sitting of the Court, was expressed at a stop-work meeting of members of the union to-day. The meeting carried a resolution asking for a conference with the employers not later than Saturday, July 26th to review the Court’s decision, and failing a decision satisfactory to the union being reached at the conference, the Government be asked to review the decision of the Arbitration Court with a view to raising the minimum wage of saddlers to at least the rate awarded by tlie Court to"other skilled trades, and failing this being done, the union will join the Boot Employees’ Federation iii demanding the removal of all tariffs on imported leather goods, feeling that if the industry with the assistance of a tariff cannot afford to pay the wages of skilled workers to employees in the industry, it would be better for the country generally for th e tariffs to be removed and for the workers now employed in the industry to seek employment elsewhere, or in some other industry.

INQUEST VERDICT. WELLINGTON, This Day

At the inquest on Katherine Green, killed by a motor car after alighting from a tram, the Coroner found that deceased died from injuries received from being knocked down by a. motor car driven by Walter Hill. He added that there is no doubt that from some cause or another there was some negligence on the part of the driver. The Coroner also said that the physical condition of the driver, who had a hand maimed in the war, went to show that he really was incompetent to exercise his energies when a sudden emeigency arose.

TELEGRAPH OPERATORS. NAPIER, This Day. Napier Telegraph operators last night resolved—“ That it is unanimous opinion of the meeting that the New Zealand Telegraph Operators Union should be formed throughout the Dominion with the object of protecting tho intests of its members.”

PICTURE THEATRE MANAGER FINED. DANNEVIRKE.' July 16. 'The decision of Mr E. Pago S.M., given to-dav in an unusual ease, is of interest to picture'theatre proprietors, Thomas August Petherick, formerly of Dannevirke was charged with having wilfully done damage to an electric installation at the Arcadia Pictures to the extent of 2/6. The evidence showed that on the evening on which the Arcadia Picture Company dispensed with Petherick’s serivees, the lights in the theatre suddenly went out at the end of the performance, before the nudience Tiad left the building. Petherick when requested to put on the electric light for the purpose of a directors’ meeting refused, and subsequently it was found that a wire had been cut in the operating box which affected the lights, and would have prevented the showing of the pictures on the following evening, hut for the discovery of the fault. His Worship convicted petherick and fined him £5 and costs £9 11s. 6d, in default fourteen days’ imprisonment, Security was fixed for appeal.

SUPREME COURT. WELLINGTON, July 16. At tho [Supreme Court Thnddeus Edward Doodv, on four charges of theft from a "dwelling was sentenced to reformative treatment for a period not exceeding five years, and Leonard Russell Lewis, charged with the theft of n Government motor-cycle to eight eon months’ reformative treatment.