GENERAL TELEGRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 130, 26 October 1914, Page 2

GENERAL TELEGRAMS.

LABOR AWARD SUSPENDED. | By Telegraph.—Per Press Association. Auckland, lust night. Considerable dissatisfaction exists between Auckland labor representatives with regard to the suspension of the Auckland Grocers' Assistants ■ and Drivers' award, which yesterday was announced to have been made by an Order-iu-Council under a regulation of the Trade and Commerce Act. The object of the suspension is to enable the slackness of work consequent upon the war to >bo spread over the whole of the men engaged in the trade, and the effect of tiie conditions to which the suspension is subject is to substitute an hourly rate of wages based on the weekly rate stipulated for in the award for the weekly wage that would otherwise obtain.

interviewed to-day, Mr Mortensen, president of tiie Grocers' (Assistants Union, stated that the union had approached the masters, and, with the object of obviating as far as possible the discharge of men, had suggested that the terms of tiie award should be temporarily varied. An agreement was arrived at to this effect, and this made stipulations as to Jiouvs to be worked as set out in the conditions of the suspension. There was, however, a further clause, strictly limiting the variation of the awaTd xo matters set forth in the conditions, and in all other respects the award waa to hold good. The object of approaching ■the Governor was merely to overcome a technical difficulty which arose in connection with the variation of the award, but it was never anticipated by the union that there would be a complete suspension of tho award for an indefinite period. They were trying to overcome the unemployment difficulty in all good faith, and they were naturally very much disappointed that such a drastic step as complete suspension of the award until the cessation of hostilities had takcrt place. The effect' of the Or-dcr-in-Council now appeared to be that there were no binding conditions governing erajiloymnt of grocrs' assistants, and the only course open to the union was to apply for an entirely fresh award in July, 1915, tho date of expiry of tiie original award. AX OPIUM CASE. Wellington October 23. At tho Magistrate's Court, Hong Lee was fined £25 for having in his possession a preparation of opium suitable for smoking. HARBOR COLLISION. Auckland, October 23. A special nautical enquiry into the colliiion on June 25 between the steamer Clansman and tho scow Tahiki gave its decision. The Clansman was held blameworthy for failing to keep a good look- ' out, and her second ■■male who should •have kept a good look, and did not, was •fined £lO. The master of the Clans-" man was absolved from blame.