YESTERDAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2108, 6 February 1908, Page 1

YESTERDAY’S TELEGRAMS.

DUNEDIN. At tho Arbitration Court, Air (Stevenson was charged with committing a breach oi' tho carters’ award b.y Tailing to pay men Tor a day on which they did not work owing to inclemency ol tlu> weather. inspector Hally said that under the award an employer Jiad the option of paying liis men either £2 Os or £2 8s per week. If the former sum was paid the men were entitled to receive payment for wet days when they could not work. for a thno paid the men on the £2 Ss rate, but latterly had substituted the .02 (Is clause as tlu» basis. Jhe day in question was very wet, and the moil waited at the stable all day, being given no work to do. On pay day On was deducted from the men s wages on account of the day oil. The men resented this, and on tho Monday following the nay day went on strike. The defence was that the day was not too wot to work, and that <lefondant ordered tho men to yoke up, hub they did not do so. The men, (ivo in number, who went on strike on the Monday, were charged with participating in a strike. The inspector stated the strike lasted loss than an hour. Decision was reserved in both eases. Decision was reserved m the following eases: Jubilee Coal Company, charged with failure to ballot for certain places in flic mine in accordance with the position drawn in t-lio ballot; Christie Bros., allege', breach with regard to the removal of dross from a coal mine, also on a charge of neglecting to ballot ivr. a certain heading in the mine. » the case against A. Taylor, charged with a breach of the cabin eidmko e to to a breach of tho cabinet »niters award by working appmitieis without indenturing them, a conv.'ction was recorded, respondent being ordered to oav costs. .. . the Arbitration Court to-day took the dispute between Dunedin and Suburban General Union and employers of 'Dunedin and suburb. Mi Scott, instructed by tho Builders Association, Drainage Board, City Corporation, and Movnmgtmi and Roslyn nnui'cinalilios, raised the question of jurisdiction, on the ground that the matter 0 r wages For general laborers had been dealt nitti when the dispute was before the Court in November, 1990. Hie President said the Court held that it possessed jurisdiction. In the present nnolieaiion made by the General Laborers’ Union to fix wages, they thought the construction to bo put on the award of 1900 was that it fixed only the wages of pick-and-shovel men in tlio work for building contractors, and it- was therefore quite comnetent for tho Laborers Union to come to Court and ask for an award. Evidence was then read, after which the Court took timo to consider their decision. lI.MAR L.

At- the Sum’ome Court this morning A. *Ji. /much, dentist, Ashburton, was found guilty of failing to keen proper books. Ho was ordered to enter into one recognisance of £SO to come up for sentenco when called upon. His Honor said ho agreed with tho veulict of the jury, but did not like to send a man to gaol for this offence, if it arose through mere carelessness. He was not altogether satisfied with accused’s conduct, and intended to got-more information concerning the case for the Assignee, with a view to ascertaining whether accused had an ulterior motivo in destroying the butts of liis chequo book.

AUCKLAND. The proposal to federate unions is causing much interest in Auckland labor circles. Mr Arthur Rosser, president of the Trades and Labor Council, agrees that tho principle is good, but such a federation would bo too uuwioldly and costly. Air CL Davis, representative of numerous Auckland labor organisations, says that tho only chance of the workers lies in federation, since tlio employers have done likewise. _ Last night the Amalgamated Society members decided to warmly support tlio movement as tho only palliative of tho troubles besotting labor. FIELDING. The Apiti Dairy Company’s creamery at Table Flat, was destroyed by a bush fire last night. Fives are still burning in the Apiti and Rangihiara districts. There is no immediate danger, but unless rain comes and the wind keeps down, there may bo serious damage within the next week. .DANNEVIR.KE. Tho Councillors obtained Mr Alartin’s opinion on tho municipal deadlock. It was read at the mooting last night, but tho Mayor conceded that it favored liis line of action ou all points. Tho deadlock continues.. Tlio" Council will not pass accounts. Notice has been given in the Chamber of Commerce to ask Government to introduce legislation defining tlie power of the Mayor, in order to pic* vent such incidents. t PALMERSTON N. The conference between shearers and sbeepowners yesterday agreed to certain amendments to tho claims of the former, which are to bo submitted to the executive bodies of both parties. It is understood the men agreed to the omission of preference, and the owners to accept, a rate ot£l per 100 for both machine and hand work. , , Tho Conciliation Board sat hero today ro the dispute between butter workers and employers. The employers refused to give, evidence on account of Mr Collins sitting on the Board, and accused him of acting in tho dual capacity of agitator ancl judge. The chairman -regretted that they should take that stand. Ho informed them that according to section GO of the Act they could be compelled to appear, and if the meeting was adjourned this would he done. The cm plovers withdrew, and the sitting of'the Board was adjourned to Wellington »t . At the Supreme Court to-day, Adeline Francis pleaded gn'it.V to a charge of having forged the acknoM ledgmerit of a receipt- ol a rcgistcicd letter containing £2, and y as sentenced to three months’ lmprisonU Tot.-r Rietz, an elderly cabinet maker, was found dead this morning in squalid premises, which had been occupied by deceased lor some tune. The Benevolent Trustees discussed the question of husbands deserting their wives and clearing out of the Dominion. Two instances were mentioned at last meeting, and the trustees decided to. guarantee the police tho expenses ol bringing them hack, and that errant- husbands should be followed wherever they went- and brought back as an example to otheis who thought of do i'js,-{'XULT ON Seven firemen on the steamer \Pananui, charged with broaching cargo [ m d stealing nearly £oo worth, weio

further remanded until Wednesday for the bout, to arrive hero. Three men hare confessed. BLENHEIM.

A restaurant at Seddon, owned by D. Lambert, and occupied by Mrs Aby ford, was destroyed by fire early this morning. The efforts of tho bucket brigade were successful ill saving Fuller’s general store, adjoining. Tho insurances were —Building £BO in the Phoenix, and £(55 in -the New Zealand; furniture, £IOO m tlie Liverpool, London, and Globe. DARGAYILLE.

A lire at tho hush workings of Macgregor and 'Harris, contractors for the Kauri Timber Company, lias destoyed nearly the whole of the new tramway and a number of logs. The damage is estimated at about £IOOO. WESTFORT.

A resident of St. Hilda, near Brighton, reports that he discovered a skull and other human bones in a crevice of a rock on tho beach half a mile south of Brighton. No person has been missing for -over 30 years. The Westport Coal Company shipped for London two cases of Coalbrookdale coal for exhibition at the Franco-13 ritish Exhibition.