LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2789, 29 May 1890, Page 2

LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

I (BY TELEGItAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION). r Wellington, Last Night, j The Mercantile Maritime Offiners , Asi sociation of New Zealand, whose hoadquarters are at Wellington, have addressed j a circular to every stoamship owner in New I Zealand, making certain demands which . are calculated to improve the position of i officer?. They ask that each vessel shall ; cirry three certificated officers, and that > the minimum pav shall be : Chief officer, > £115 per month : second do., £14 ; third and i fourth d<;., £12 ; this scale to come in on the . Ist of June. A request is made for imt proved accommodation, and that no officer ba obliged to handle or tally cargo, and ! that the system of three watches shall be j observed. Another item is that when an ; officer comes off night duty he should be , entitled to refreshment as a right, and not at the option of the stewards, as at present, The Hon. P. M. Waterhouse, who has j decided to remain in England, has resigned 3 his seat in tho Legislative Council. Mr . W:\terbouse is residing at Torquay and t finding his health improving has decided to j remain there. His residence here is being • sold. r The cost of repairing tho Cook Strait I cable was £3,000. This sum was larger r than expected, on account of the long do- . tention of the steamer and the unforsoen . difficulties met with, but it is only about . half what it would have cost to bring a . steamer here specially. In all eight miles t of cable were taken up. The Governor has announced his intention of spending most of the winter at Lowry Bay, on the opposite side of the harbour, and went over there this morning. It was suggested that u. telephone should j be kid, but as the cost would be £200, it is 1 not likely the work will be carried out. j The authorities have no apprehension of y a strike among telegraphists. They believe J the rumour is merely a reflex of an attempt j set on foot a short time ago to form a union ! among the operators, and afterwards aban- | doned. It is recognised, however, that the ! telegraph department is badly in need of i classification, and that there is some cause for discontent among the employees, which, I it is hoped, legislation may wholly, or c partly, removo. ( The manager of the City Tramway Com- ; pany has written to the Federated Trades [ Council, declining to approve of the rules j recently adopted by the Tramway and Co . operative 'Bus Companies Employees' . Union, and which it is proposed to bring into fiireo cm Juno Ist, as their acceptance I would involve an annual increase of £HG3 , for wages alone. He adds that the tratn- • ways are running nt a loss, and the proi pnetors will not submit to an increase in [• the wages or diminution of hours. i A meeting of Wellington steamship owners will bo held in a day or two to con- ! sider the circular from the Mercantile • Marine Officers' Association. It is stated ■ that it the Association insists on its dej mauds more than one steamer hailing from this port will be laid up. p _ The iron-workers'assistant-) are demandi ing an extra Is per day, and employers are inclined to resent it, but they will receive a i deputation on the matter.