TRADE & LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 79, 1 April 1908, Page 8

TRADE & LABOUR NOTES.

. (Bj. industrial T_u__.^ (Secretaries of the various .moss are teonested to forward copies of their Union engagements to "Industrial Tramp," ••Star" Office, and a list of Union Meetings will be furnished at ths head of this comma for e_ch wee—.) UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. This Evening-, April 1 — Trades and Labour Council; Tinsmiths. Thursday, April _ — Farriers; Carriers. Friday, April 3 — Labourers (Social); Fellmongers. Saturday, April 4 — Bskers-_ Sunday, April 5 — Cooks and Stewards. Monday, April 6 — Grocers; Carters; Bookbinders; Tailors. Tuesday. April T — Plumbers; Moulders; Tailoresses. April 8 — 'Waterside Workers. ilr. P. H. Hickey, representing the Blackball miners, arrived in Auckland yesterday, to lay the men's side of the trouble before the local unions, so as to enlist their practical sympathy. Mr. Hickey was met on his arrival by Messrs W. S. Moxsoni and A. Rosser, representing the Auckland Trades and Labour Council; and Messrs. G. Davis and Cattley. He will address the delegates of the Trades and Labour Council at the meeting of the Council this evening, and it is also arranged that he will address a public meeting in a public hall (to be announced) on Friday evening next. Mr. Hickey is one of the seven men discharged by the Blackball Coal Mining Company, which was the "last straw" that caused the strike. He also took a very prominent part in providing the defence of the union, when the prosecution took place on March 11th and 12th; so that it is safe to say that the case for the men will be presented to our Auckland unions by one who is thoroughly acquainted with the particulars of the trouble from the start. It is also intended that Mr. Hickey shall address the country unions as well as those in the city. The Waihi Miners' Union is already to the fore, with practical sympathy for their brethren on the West Coast, and a resolution has been car1_ ried pledging themselves, to a levy of 1/ per member per week, in aid of the „ strike;. As there are .oyer 1000 members ::: in:;-the Tmion-, -this means _ sum-of over :£oo a-week, which is a pretty substantial help. .The Waihi miners.:. cannot forget : that last April they had a splen- "" did .case before the Arbitration Court for a rise in wages of l/~per '.shift all round. They had high hopes that Mr. Justice Sim, by his good and favourable record in Dunedin before his elevation, to the Court, would look with favourable . eyes on their application. But they were doomed to disappointment; as when, the award came put, it was found that the wages men in the wealthy Waihi Company's employ had gained a paltry sixpenny rise per shift, making the wage 7/6 per shift, but as the bulk of miners were working for con- !_ tractors, and were already getting more ;~ than that from them, the rise was ,' delusive. The officers of the union ." have not scrupled to express their opin- _| ion that they would have gained mora ~ benefit had they cut loose from the Act, -• and asked for justice, with the strike- as ■ a last resource. The Arbitration Act, which has had many trials during its life of 14 years, - is about to undergo its most crucial test, and the miners are not alone in their dissatisfaction with—the -_.dministration of the" Act." Time and again, union after union have had most elaborate cases before the Court, cases in which the most painstaking care has been be- ' stowed upon evidence showing to the Court that the cost of living has more than swallowed up the small rises in wages that have been doled out by the Court with such a niggardly hand. The ' Enginedrivers', Tramways', and Seamen's unions have long ago been disgusted with the treatment meted out to them by a tribunal they are asked to support and have confidence in; and if the movement started by the Blackball miners receives jmuch encouragement from other dis--affected unions, then we may say "good-, bye" to the Act. "The Auckland Letterpress Machinists, at a special meeting last week, decided to adopt a set of rules and a constitution for the proposed Federation ot _etter--press unions ih the Dominion. Tne ___- eration will consist of the unions In Auckland, Wellington and Christehurch as a nucleus, and any other unions that may be founded from time to time. As soon as the rules have been, accepted by . the unions named, they will be registered and tne Federation will be an accomplished fact. The stoneworEers of Auckland have decided to hold a fishing picnic next Saturday, and invitations Save been sent out to- their employers to join in with them and make the affair a social success. The Ruru has been engaged for the day, and prizes are offered for the first "lish, the most fish, caught, and the biggest fish caught. I understand that a prize is also offered for the biggest fish hooked but not brought to the surface. For this latter there is sure to he an exciting com- • petition. -The Auckland Electric Tramways Union. Committee of Management decided last week to ask the Government to hold a public inquiry into the efficiency of the brakes on the Auckland cars; and on Monday last the secretary of the union forwarded to the Premier at Wellington a letter embodying the request, and covering documents relating to the verdict of the Coroner's jury in the fatal accident on Ponsonby-road last October, in which the brakes were proved to be at fault; also a verbatim report of the evidence taken before Mr. Dyer, _.M., in the-case' of Police v. Mortorman Lowe, for furious driving on Christmas Eve, in which the motorman was found not guilty, and the blame was laid upon the ibrakes. As the S__. said: "The car ran away with the man, and not the man with the ear." The recent conference in Melbourne of shop assistants' delegates has taken a progressive step forward by federating branches of the union under the name of Shop Assistants and Warehouse -Employees' Federation of Australia. It is intended to include in its ranks all persons engaged in any capacity iv a warehouse, shop, or office, wholesale or retail. Over-charging butchers in Vienna are being brought to their senses by a strike arranged by several thousand mothers of families. The women agreed to have no dealings with the butchers for a fortas a means of inducing them to lower their prices. If this is not sufficient the strike will be continued beyond that period. The present time is particularly favourable for the strike, as -ranie and poultry are very cheap. ° In Illinois 4000 miners .went on strike 'because their employers announced that t_ey would be paid in cheques. As the tamers knew the banks had not the ; money to cash the cheques they preferred "___« ir k their P* stop"e_ rather than to continue working for the mere promise of pay, B