WORK AND WAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 206, 20 August 1908, Page 2

WORK AND WAGES.

SllliAlijiiiiy .iiIXvJJUJiUUAI'ION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. utristclturcu, uist .Night. At a meeting of the ..North Canterbury executive of tlie Farmers' Union to-day, .Mr.' jjcadley moved; "That iu file opinion of tlie exeutive the proposed amendment of the .Shearers' Accomliiodation Ac-t is thoroughly unnecessary and unworkable," ire said tlmt tlio uvjvv Bill was a short one, but it was very far-reaching. ilie inspector actually had power to pull down the farmers' buildings. Air. li. X. Cooper said that the Aet would seriously affect tlie Small farmers, 'file men employed by thoni were quite satislicd with the existing arrangements, though some such provisions might be necessary on largo stations. Air. W. Haht Said that an addition should bo made to tlie motion pointing out that the iiill would iallict a hardship on small farmers, njid Air. Leadluy agreed with this. After lurther discussion the jiiotion was amended and passed.

AGGRESSIVE SOCIALISM. Auckland, Last Wight, in submitting its annual report to the Employers' Association meeting I this afternoon, the executive committee stated that the aggressive attitude of the extreme socialistic labor party was becoming too pronounced as to demand the most attention of all thinking people, and tlie time had now arrived when Hie Employers' Federation must seriously con,nrer ways and moans of checking the growth of this octopus, if the best interests of tne inhabitants of the dominion as a whole were to be conserved. DISREGARD OF INDUSTRIAL LAW ■AND-ORDER.

Auckland, Last Night. In the course of a report presented to the Auckland Provincial Employers' Association this afternoon, the executive committee drew special attention to the deplorable and utter disregard of law and order which had been so much in evidence of late amongst several sections of workers throughout the Dominion. No less hail eighteen strikes had taken place iu as many months. These strikes and the action of the Government in regard thereto proved I beyond all doubt that the Arbitration Act did not prevent strikes nor effectually deal with law-breakers who left their employers in the lurch at a moment's notice. In speaking on the subject, the president (.Mr. Goldie) said there was evident reluctance on the part of the Government to offend those who .would carry the largest votingpower at elections. Organised labor, under the leadership of professional agitators, was doing its best to ruin the

industries of tlie Dominion. The employers must become ail aggressive force or else one by one their rights would lx' lilelied away, and that spirit of enterprise and earnest enthusiasm which tended to make a country great and ! glorious .would have departed from their midst. LAliOit MARKET AUAIN -NORMAL. Christehurch, Wednesday. Twenty-four moiv men have been sent to the Broken liiver works. There are now 31)0 men there. The line weatlnr ■lias done much to improve the conditions at the railway works, and the men are contented. The labor market is again normal. Cliristcliureli, Last Night. The Labor Department reports 'having despatched 21 men yesterday to the railway works at Broken liiver. Eigllit more are to follow to-morrow. The labor market is again normal, with every prospect of a strong demand for tarm and unskilled labor during tUic next few weeks if the weather holds fair.

BROKEN IUVLK KAIL WAY WORKS. Christchurell, Last Might, lteports from Broken ltiver indicate that work is progressing -satisfactorily. There are now nearly 3UO men employed on the railway works and there appears to he a feeling of general contentment among the men with tire conditions of labor under the co-operative system. The line weather of the past few weeks has dono much to ameliorate the discomforts inseparable from a •new camp.

CONl''olti\HN'U TO AN AWAItD. Duucdin Last Night. At a meethig of the Hospital Trustees to-day, it was stated that the finance committee had considered a letter from the secretary of the Ungiao-driy-ers'. Union, which stated the boiler' in tlw institution must be in charge of a certificated engineer. The chairman (Air. Solomon) pointed out that the hospital engine must be worked 24 hours every day, and the engineer under the award'must work only eight hours. Therefore they would have to employ three engineers, besides which they were liable for about £IOO hack wages. It was decided to pay the back wages and conform to the award.