THE GENERAL LABOURERS’ DEMANDS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9121, 14 April 1908, Page 8

THE GENERAL LABOURERS’ DEMANDS.

The above were farther discussed at a sitting of the Conciliation Board at Wanganui yesterday. Mr Caiman appeared on behali Oj. Wanganui employers, and the Mayor, Mr Mackay, for the EoroughfOouncil. Messrs Bignsll and Meuli also appeared. M> Mackav said that apart from the Gas Works and the office staff, 40 or 50 general labourers were employed by the Borough Council, and according to his statement of toe wages th ■ vere paid on an average from 8s to {is a day. The men were paid fortnightlv and were paid for all the holidays. He (the Mayor) thought that owing to the rate of jiving at the present time, the time had come when the wages of working men should in some cases he incr6<is6d» Mr Bigneli said that in his opinion some of the claims made by the Union were extravagant. In his opinion the men belonging to the Union were generally poor and most incompetent. The men who were not connected with the Union were by far the better men. The various awards which one had to work under were a fearful nuisance. Mr Meuli said he was unable to satisfv the Board as he sub-let all his contracts and only employed one labourer, whom he paid Is an hour. Mr A. Gilmour, overseer for the Borough Council, said he had not considered the claims. Two men had applied for an increase, of wages, while working at drainage works. The majority of the men had properties of their own, which they had secured when they were making 7s a day. The Borough supplied men with hoots when they were working in water. , ~ , For the Union, Mr Reardon called three witnesses, who testified to the amount of wages they were receiving and the conditions under which they worked. They were all of the opinion that the claims set do>vn hy the Union were forclhe good of the employees. The Board then adjourned. They will sit again at Palmerston.