AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 98, 27 April 1896, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN LETTER.

I TOPICS OF THE WEEK.

[PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

j,y jUtOTBIC TELEGRAPH—COPYESanT.]

j£| Sydney, this day. ILhTO topics which engaged the public "liddaring the week were the possibilities lylerwieß °fa Bfcrik° a& Newcastle and "jW illness of Sir Henry Parkes, bhe '"Iff-flo statesman, who is making a great 'IE for life. At his aero his vitality ia jEdirin!. Ab time of writing, tbe trouble IScJicg oia lvD £ 3 *s abating, and bhe only WT js from weakened heart action. 'Witts in al* raoks of tlie community in-''J&l-enil worth. The Premier's visit of *B\ nC ili_tion makes the possibility of ii__e 'ha retiriB ff vote for Sir Henry S 0D 'k® esfcioaate3 nexb session. 'JiLj should be tew who grudge that '■j\ &! irill enable a man who has devoted SJStothe colony's service spending his L tema\ning years removed from worry f%ihe necessities of life. Sf .HRSATENED COAL STRIKE. ilfWarally, tne coal 'difficulty ia one f#i«»d °y Newcastle folk with anxiety. Wn»t representative visited Goalopolis M| jj» the week, and saw a scene of acpEjw in .shipping groater than a-ay wib"t.Ljd pinee the last great strike. Hunter rMm&WB covered with a forest of masts, ?jKU B ota.crane but what was pouring coal"SCien trucks into largo ships and steamerB»ht »"d day, while vessels of every fijKjjnjitty lie in the stream waiting a , 4ca»cy in the dykes. Busiisess peoplo ore %'Gmjng .to take heart, inasmuch as the i|S which was lost t.a Newcastle is beginsw*l to flow back again. Over seventy twLiela atfl 'y'nS '° tno "ver »t the present '\?Jitoa, iflggtjejirabingr close-on 100,000 toes. H _tettl-I.a strjtke occur, the bulk of them will H jjjp anchor and fly, and such a confcin--1 rapey Jfould induce them .to give the place .".". ifri4? berth .in future, and still further fffl iJrow trade into tho hands of Japan and H jtfef/r^pal oenbre6. During the pasb week : (4500 tons ware exported. THE BOOT TRADE. £9 there is every indication that tho bern cinniiig of nexb week will see a general fSTjoksio the boot trade. This difficulty H jjj been brewing a long time. Three ff Booths ago the Operatives' Union eub- [| -jttej a report to the Manufacturers' a Jffioriltion complaiaing the statement of ■! figra mutually adopted by the two I Indies as the result .of a strike two years ■ im had been set aside in a number of I factories ond the weekly wages system subiib'tated.tbat boy labour is being introducaU tjaa unreasonable exbest, and recommendligthat the Bbatemenb be opened with a naff to amendment. The masters say it b impossible to draft a new agreement riile a large number of employers remained a«t»idßthe Association and continued to H wit P« non-union lines, and pay wages "i Wow those fixed by the statement. The if Doioa undertook to induce non-associated M outer, to fall into line by accepting the II oav statement, and the Secretary of the If Uiion obtained what was considered U Htiifacfcory promise 3 from the majority If ol 088 - associated masters, bub the if Haters Association was not satism fed with tbe guarantees, and notified || theUoion of their intentiob to cease to roll cogaiee the statement. Tho Union replied I ty holding a mass meeting, declaring their i| bteotion of adhering to the existing stataH aent until a new one on similar lines ia U ribstitabed, and calling on employees in all §| tones to cease work nexb Tuesday. A 9 gtcuti-r feature of the difficulty is thab H Uttk sides are aiming at the same object— (to establishment of a union rate of wages. 3_e Association claim to wanb the establishment of a fair, uniform statement which rill nob place them at a disadvantage with _i>--aßßociation employers, as the preseub lUtement does, and have taken action in 1 order to compel the Union to adopt definite I methods by forcing hands of those outside I the Union. Association men claim that tho 1 masters are making the statement a sbalk--1 in? horse as an excuse in lowering wages ; J ftey state thab a large reduction has I already been made, or is pending in several factories. If the strike eventuates, about 3,000 hands will be affected. Tbe Urtion's loads areafcalowebb, butthey all6gethafcbbe co-operative factory, which was established it the time of the last strike, and which ii Union property and has proved a great success, will abserb most of the strikers. Iby also reckon there is a wanb of unanimity amongst blio masters, a number having weeded from the Association and promised tomaiataia the statement.