Rangitikei Advocate. THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1908 EDITORIAL NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9093, 12 March 1908, Page 4

Rangitikei Advocate. THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1908 EDITORIAL NOTES.

THE peaceful routine of the local bodies in this district has been broken bj the surprising information that they are parties to an industrial dispute with the "Wellington General Labourers’ Industrial Union of Workers, and that they are cited to appear before the Conciliation Board.

at Wanganui on March 23rd. It is *<*v.«3Cx- • «■ - iredless to s,ay that the relations between the Councils and the labourers have been generally on the most satisfactory footing, but apparently a dispute exists though neither Council nor labourers are aware of it. The claims put forward on behalf of the Union may bo summarised as follows: The hours of work are to be forty six par week under ordinary conditions, but in wet places i.e.., where the water is over the boot tops the hours of work are to bo restricted to six per day. The rates of wages for general workers range from Is 3%d per hour to Is 6d. Road men and the majority of county workers come under the former scale and therefore demand 60s 4%d per week or 10s 6d for eight hours work. Permanent hands where no deduction is made for wet weather are to receive 9s a day. Overtime is to be. paid at the rate of time and a half for the first two hours and thereafter at the rate of double time. All wages shall he paid weekly in cushion the job. All tools to bo supplied by the employer. Preference to unionists is compulsory, provided that there are members of the Union equally competent with non-unionists to perform the work and ready and wiling to undertake it. This clause, the demand adds in a spasm of generosity, shall not compel employers to refuse to continue to employ persons now in their employment.

IT is clear that should the demands of the labourers be granted the cost of xoad and other work will bo greatly increased. Careful calcula-

tions will be needed to determine the exact additional expense, but a rough estimate puts it at twenty per cent. As the greater portion of the revenue of local bodies is spent in wages the concessions demanded would mean a great increase in the rates. The additional'expsuse would arise not only from the larger wages’ bill, but also from the very material increase in clerical work caused by weekly, instead of monthly payments to employees, which have been customary in counties. The payment of wages on the job also would entail considerable inconvenience as many of the workers in

large counties are 50 miles or even more from headquarters, and much

time would ho wasted in carrying money to men who arc in the back blocks where they can neither spend their money nor keep it without risk. WITHOUT going into further details at present it is evident that the question is one of vital importance to every ratepayer, whether resident in a borough or county, not to speak of its bearing on the cost of labour to contractors and private employers.

Hithjrto the men alouo have been organised. Their leaders know exactly what they want and have been coached up so as to present the best possible case. Employers, at any rate in the country, have no common organisation and can be attacked and defeated in detail by the better disciplined opposition. Whether the claims to bo put' forward at Wanganui arc reasonable or unreasonable, it is essential that the employers should arrange some definite pilau of action and appoint men to represent their views in an adequate manner. With the object of promoting such combined action the chairmen of Mauawatu and Rangitikei County Councils have summoned a meeting at Marton on Monday morning next at which represcutatives of all the local bodies of the district are requested to be present. The invitation should he accepted as of equal urgency to the three- lined whips which are sent out to members of Parliament when matters of tne highest importance are to be discussed in the House.