LABOR DISPUNES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2081, 5 August 1890, Page 3

LABOR DISPUNES.

Loxnos, Aug. 1

At * meeting of the St, Catherine Docks Comp»ny Mr Norwood, chairman of the company, eiid that the Csrdipals, Archbishops, ana other busybodies who led public opinion astray ought to sep that the docks company carried out their part of the agreement. Aug. 2.

The Postal Union has definitely refused to dissolve, as requested by the dismissed postmen. The dispute between the South Wales Railway Company sod their employes has been resumed, and the directors have given notice to the. men to quit the bouses occupied by them and owned by the company. They have a'so warnpd the public that mineral traffic wi'l ce*se on August 7th. The docfters and colliers have allied themselves with the railway men, and one of the severest strikes experienced for years is expected to take place,

Fifteen hundred joiners in Fifeshirh have gone out on strike as a protest against the award made by Mr Burt, apportioning to shipwrights work which t'ley allege should ba given to joiners. They demand that the question be reconsidered.

Berlin, Aug. 1

The German Government b»ve granted the demands of the miners' delegates for 8 hourß, and have agreed to reinstate the men who were dismissed for going out on strike,

Melbourne, Aug. 1

The shipowners have made an important concession to the marine officers by deciding that the salaries of officers on first-class steamers shall be £ls per month to the chief officer, £l2 for the second, and £lO for the third ; on second-class boats, £l4 for the chief officer and £ll for the second. The increase has been granted through the good offices of tha newly-formed Masters and Officers Association.

Aug. 3.

The Rearers Union have resolved that the lowest fioe to be imposed on any of the blacklegs who wish to join the anion shall be £5. The aaion also decided that any men shearing io nonunion sheds after the present date are to be counted blacklegs for ever, Sydwey, Aug. 2.

The Shearers' Union have decided to expel any members accepting employmerit under station rales.

Aug. 3

By a ballot the Litbgow miners bave reßolred to strike as a protest against tbe employment of blacklegs,

The Government have decided to proclaim Demonstration Day (October 28) a public holiday throughout the colony, and the Federated Trades Council are arranging a programme to suitably celebrate the day. The Brunnerton coal miners have removed all their tools from the mine.

Greymouth, Aog. 3

It is reported on what eeem9 to be pretty good authority that the miners intend calling out the men who work the pumping engines keeping the mines dry, ami that Mr Kennedy, when informed of the fact, said that if pumping were stopped the mines would probably never be opened again. All practical rainerß agree thai once the water is allowed to ris°, the mines will bn ruined.

BOYCOTTING CHRISTCHURCH. Christohueoh, August 2.

Mr Larabie, local manager of the Qnion Company, referring to Messrs Whiicombe and Tombs' difficulty, told a 1 reporter: —"We dare not, as oubliG carriers, refuse to receive ibe firm's goods for shipment as they would harrf good cause for aq actjon for damages against the porflpaoy in, case of our doing 80. ?q fact, this morning we booked a caso lor export by the company, an'l we shall continue to do ao." The secretary of the New Zealand Shipping Company states that the matter will probably be discussed at a me ting of the board, on. Tqesdiy. Until then nothing will be deoided. The representatives of the Shaw Saviil Company state that the Maritime Council's circular will be forwarded to the company's office in London, and in the meantime farther development w|ll be awaited,

The difficulty, with regard to the loading of the barquentinb KateTatham was settled this afternoon. Mr Turner, charterer of the vessel, agrped to employ union hands on the job instead of th? vessel's crew, and work was resumed by the stevedores,

Aug. 3,

The labor party regard Messrs WbitcOQibe and Tombs' manifesto, which was ulvertised yesterday, es ft direct otuck on their position, Meetings ora to he called at the centres to omsiier the question, lhe Trades and Libor Council have decided to hold » meeting nex' Thursday. The labour organisations throughout the colony are to be communicated wi'b, and asked to move in the same direction. The r)une<ii[n herald says ;—" I - lisp appeared hy the Carriers Ac, 1880, that neither the Union Company nor the Railway Commissioners can refuse to receive cargo. We are informed that the Seamen's Union intend nurmounting ihiß difficulty by playing the trump curd. They will gall upon all seamen ti> tjiva the rqtiisite twenty-four bour« ( [ uotice ot cancellation of their pres>m

agreements to the shipowners. Alter this they are willing to sign Dew articles aod keep the trade of the colony going, provided always tbat in the new articles a clause is inserted whereby no v>B*e\ shall trade with Lyttelton. In order to make this point of attack more valuable any inflow of seamen must be prevented. The position as sketched above is most serious and alarming. The stoppage of the carrying trade of Lyttoiton means the complete boycott of Christchurch. Then the merchants of that city will either have to take op their stand with Wbitcomb* and Tombs, and fight their quarrel, or take such meaeuaes as will bring the firm to a true sense of the consequences of their attitude.

THE BAILWAYS

A member of the Press staff interviewed Mr Edwards, the General Secretary of the Railway Servants' Society. "Our position," said Mr Edwards, " is this, that on ihe 7th August, unless matters are settled with respect to Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs, the members of the Railway Servants Society will refuse to handle or carry any goods belonging to Messrs Whitcombe BDd Tombs. I understand that the Railway Commissioners say that they are bonnd, as common carriers, to take goods that are offered to them, or else they will be liable to nn action for damages by Messrs Whitcombe and lombs. But I would point out that there is a condition on the back of the freight notes exempting the railway from any claim for damages for nonfufiment of contract by reason of civil commotion. Now tbe calling out of the railway servants under the resolution of the Maritime Council would be, I think, a civil commotion, and thus tbe Commissioners wood be exempt from any claim for damages. The position is simply this, the original dispute between Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs and the Typographical Association has been taken io band by the Maritime Council, and as tbe firm have dec ined tc come to any terms it was resolved, after trying every other m«ans, to put tbe boycott into force. But, and here comes the trouble, we were given to understand, on good authority, that there is a combination on the p«rt of some of the merchants here to support Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs at all hazards, Bence the original issue between Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs and the Typographical Association disappears, and in its place comes the test question, Trades Jnionism or no Tradeß Onionism. That is what we are fighting now, owing to the action taken by the merchants. Yon see it is easy for a firm here to import goods, ostensibly for themselves, but really for the firm of Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs, and we know tbat it will be done. Thus the boycott we put on will be unsuccessful onieps it is completely carried out by the mean 6 proposed to be adopted by the colling out of the seamen. This will cause the boycotting of tbe merchants who are iu sympathy with Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs.