H.—ll

XI

Firemen, Trimmers, and Greasers, s.s. " Mapourika," Wellington (from loth January to 19th February, 3.913). —A similar strike took place on this steamer, the men employed alleging an insufficient staff in the stokehold. In this case the number of strikers was eight, whilst a total of forty-four men were rendered, idle. After the ship had been laid up for five weeks the company compromised by agreeing to employ one additional man. The ship then resumed her trading. The loss in wages to the men was about £460, whilst it is estimated that the company suffered approximately to the extent of £1,500. No action was taken against the strikers, for the same reason as in the " Regulus " case. Slaughtermen, Oamaru (from 4th June to 16th July, 1912). —In this case thirteen men ceased work owing to the employer refusing to concede their demand for the dismissal of a learner who had been engaged against their wishes. The men contended that there were enough learners employed without the additional one. As a result a total of seventy men were rendered idle. The men did not resume work, and the factory was closed down for the season. The company estimates the duration of the strike at six weeks, because in the ordinary course of events the season would have lasted that long after the date the strike occurred. The monetary loss sustained by the workmen, concerned through loss of employment was about £850, whilst the employers suffered to the extent of approximately £500. The thirteen men who struck were summoned before the Magistrates' Court for a breach of the strike provisions of the Act, and were each fined £1; they accepted the decision of the Court, but it was then too late in the season to reopen the works. There was, however, no trouble when the following season commenced, and the learner about whom the dispute arose found other employment. The whole of the amount of fines imposed has been paid. Dredge Hands (Gold-dredging), Waikaia, Southland, (from 15th February to Ist March, 1913). —In this case six men demanded an increase in wages from 9s. per shift (the award rate) to 10s. per shift. The company refused to increase the rate of pay, and the men accordingly left work. The dredge was idle for two weeks, after which work was. resumed, a new crew having been engaged, at 9s. per shift. The loss in wages to the men is estimated at £37, whilst to the employers the loss was considerable, being given as nearly £650. Proceedings against the strikers are pending.* Tunnel Workers, Lake Coleridge, Canterbury 23rd September to sth October, 1912). — The chief causes of this strike were the employers' refusal to concede certain demands of the men, the principal of which were time-and-a-half rates of overtime, and double time for Sunday work; also the reinstating of an engine-driver who had been discharged owing to an accident, the cause of which was alleged to be attributable to his negligence. Fifty-two men were idle for twelve days, after which work was resumed, as the employer granted the demands of the men in nearly every particular. The loss in wages to the men concerned is estimated at £720, whilst the employer's loss is put down at £30. As there was no award or industrial agreement in force governing these workers the strike was not illegal. There were also several minor disputes, which were either (1) of a trivial nature, for which reason it was not considered necessary to take action, or (2) did not come within the scope of the Act, there being no award or agreement in force. The following cases come under heading (1) :— Coal-miners, Huntly (one day). Firemen, &c, s.s. " Maori," Wellington (six days). Flax-mill workers, Manawatu (one day). Gold-miners, Karangahake (one day). The following cases come under heading (2) : — Gold-miners, Thames (one day). Labourers, Taranaki Oil-wells (one day). Newspaper Company's employees, Whangarei (two days). Waterside Workers, Timaru (two cases : one day and eight days respectivley). A summary of the whole of the strikes which have occurred in New Zealand since the inception of the Act is given in the following return. It will be noted that, of a total of ninety-eight strikes over a period of nineteen years, forty-three, or nearly 45 per cent, of the whole, are regarded as trivial. Of the ninety-eight strikes, sixty-three (thirty-three of which were important) were outside the scope of the Act, and thirty-five within it. The loss to workers was estimated at £283,206, and to employers £160,414. * They were summoned before the Magistrates' Court and subsequently fined as follows : Two ringleaders, £5 each • two others who took an active part in the trouble, £3 each; and one, 10s.; whilst one case was dismissed, as the evidence showed that the worker in question was not on the dredge when the others at first decided to go on strike. £13 10s. of the amount of the fines imposed has been paid, the remaining £3 being due by one man, who has since left the district and cannot be traced at present.