WORK AND WAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 206, 28 February 1912, Page 4

WORK AND WAGES.

TROUBLE IN AUCKLAND. *. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Tuesday. The dispute between the General Laborers' Union and the City Council and the contractors for various large works is assuming a somewhat serious aspect. Though no definite movement has been made by the* Federation of Labor, with ■which body it now rest* to take further action if deemed necessary, resolutions have been passed by the drivers, coachworkers and tramway-workers' unions condemning the action of the City Council in refusing to meet the general laborers in conference and discuss their demands. The Carpenters' Union is also generally sympathetic to the Federation of Labor, but did not carry a formal resolution.

The position now is that the Federation officials have vainly approached various employers, including the City Council, to meet them in conference. The Hon. George Fowlds, asked by the Federation to act as mediator, was unsuccessful in his request that the council should meet the Federation's representatives. A strike of the general laborers is regarded as inevitable, and it is certain that if prolonged the tram, waymen and other federated unions will also be drawn in, while the general impression is that several unions registered under the Arbitration Act will take a similar course.

THE FLAXMILLERS' DISPUTE. SETTLEMENT ARRIVED AT. Palmerston N., Last Night. The conference between the New Zealand Flaxmillers' Association and • the Manawatu Flax Workers' Industrial Union was held to-day, Mr. P. Hally, Conciliation Commissioner, presiding. The conference lasted all the afternoon, and matters at one time appeared likely to end in a deadlock. Mr. Hally, however, was successful in bringing matters to a successful issue, and a settlement of the dispute has been arrived at. Representatives of both sides spoke enthusjastically of the tact and ability shown by Mr. Hally.

BOOT OPERATIVES' UNION. Wellington, Last Night. At a meeting of the Wellington Boot Operatives' Union to-night, the following reslution was passed: "That, seeing that no agreement was arrived at by employers and employees at the recent conference, this union decides to take determined, action." Since the conference last week a ballot of the union has been taken on the question of cancelling its registration under the J»e result was announced to-night as follows: For cancellation 250, against 90. The necessary notice will be forwarded to the Registrar in due course.