LABOUR, ETC.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2569, 17 October 1893, Page 1

LABOUR, ETC.

London, Oct. 12

The coal-owners are giving way and allowing the men to returnat the old rate of wages. Sixty thousand have resumed work. Oct. 13. The Miners' Federation have refused to accept the terms proposed by the mayors, and insist on the payment of old rates. Two hundred thousand men are still out. Sydney, Oct. 13. The Engineers' Society and steamship owners hold another conference on October 19th.

Brisbane, Oct. 13,

In the Legislative Assembly the Sugar Bill providing for assistance to establish central mills met with strong opposition from the labour party, who desired to prevent any coloured labour being employed at such mills.'' The stonewall began yesterday and continued until to-night. Two or three of the speeches were over eight hours in length. Sir Thomas Mcllwraith assured the House that the Government never contemplated the employment of Chinese or Cingalese at the mills. Kanaka labour would only be employed where white men were unable to work. The labour leaders accepted this assurance, and offered no further opposition to the Bill, which passed through committee.

A deputation waited on the Hon. Mr Reeves at Christchurch, and informed him that they represented from 100 to 150 men who were out of work. Mr Reeves said that he had telegraphed to tho Lands Department on the previous day with a view to arranging some work on the Mount Cook road, and would inform the deputation of the result on Monday. Mr O'Dea, President of the Wellington Liberal Association, in a letter resigning that position in order to become a candidal for Parliament said : " I can see that the day of the people is coming,- and a long time we have been waiting for it, but while I mean to wrong no man or do anyone an injustice, I am resolved to make known how every man and woman are to have their own. The days of wirepulling must be put a stop to and banished, for the day is close at hand when the people, the common people, and all the people will rule this laud in their awn way and in their own fashion. That day I think I see in sight if the Liberal party will only keep the fundamental questions to the front, and not give way to side issues."

A special meeting of the commUtee of the Timaru branch of the Shearers and Labourers’ Union was held at Timaru on Saturday afternoon. The meeting was called for the purpose of discussing with the threshing mill-own era of the district a scale of wages that was drawn up and submitted to them by the members of the Union at their general meeting held in August last. There was a good attendance of members, but the mill-owners were poorly represented, only six attending—namely, Messrs J. Talbot, \Y. (i. Campbell, \V. S. Harkness, It. Pelvin W. Pulfqrd, and Freddy. Mr W, L. Gordon occu pied the chair, and after some remarks read the resolutions passed at the general meeting : —At a general meeting of the Amalgamated Shearers’ and Laboured Union (Timaru branch) held OH Auf-nst 28th, 1893, the following molu* ; ona adopted (ist) That the J- : ”. owlie rs of the district b§ Waited *; 0 meot our commi ttee tne following scale of wages by the members, namely, 10s per thousand for oats and 12s per thousand for wheat, and 12s per week for food, or men to find cook and provisions on the co-operative principle; (2) or lOd per hour and found. The chairman stated that when the resolutions were put to the meeting the majority were in favour of the thousand system, but he would ask those present to give their opinion. Mr Campbell said that, seeing the millowuers had not a union, and that they had never met in a body to discuss this question, speaking for himself he considered that the men following the mills were not paid sufficiently for the work they had to do. He had tried the 12s per week for food, but found it did not pay him. He was in favour of the co-operative system—that is, the men to find cook and provisions. Mr Harkness coincided with the last speaker as regards the co-operative plan, but thought 10s for oats too much. He did not think 12s too much for wheat. Mr Talbot said that he had been connected with threshing mills for the past twenty years, and he found the system of paying by the hour to work the best. He had always paid one shilling per hour to his men, cook included, the men finding all the provisions, and he always found that after everything was paid it cost the men 10s 6d pjr week per man for their food. Ho considered that it was absolutely necessary that the Union all over South Canterbury should be unanimous in fixing, a scale. He was directly in favour of his system of payment, as it had many advantages over the old system. Messrs C. O’Rourke, Scott, Jackson, and others thought it was not a good plan to put, the cook on the same footing as the men ; as for instance if they had a. wet, week the cook would be working for nothing and it would be hard to get a man to stop. Their idea was that if the co-operative system was adopted it would be better to give good wages to a good cook, and thus effect a great saving, Mr Freddy said that in the event, of the resolution coming in force would the Union interfere with the mill-owner in the picking of men he wanted, and if a man was not able for his work woi\\d ho be compelled to keep him on, A|ter a short debate, the mill-owners present said they were all agreeabl ■ to Is per hour* the men to .-find cook and provisions. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the mill-owners for their attendance, and also for the kindly spirit in which the matter was discussed by them. They then withdrew and the committee held a short meeting. It was decided to adhere to the resolution as read to the meeting, and the following motion was carried—“ As the majority of the mill-owners have treated us with indifference by not responding to our invitation to meet nnd discuss the threshing we feel it incumbent on ua to tqko such steps as are deemed necessary to bring about a more satisfactory state of things.”