TRADE AND LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 172, 20 July 1916, Page 8

TRADE AND LABOUR NOTES.

(By INDUSTRIAL TRAMI , . , ) TN'IOX MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. This Evening, July 20-Mouldcrs, Tramways, Labour Day Cnmtnittee. Friday, July 21—Bricklayers, Flourmillers. Monday July 24— Hairdressers, l'aiuters. ■Wcdne'sday, " July 26— General labourers, Bootmakers. Thursday, July 27—Englnedrivers, Coopers. LABOUR DAY, 1916. A month ago the WIG Labour Day Committee were called together to consider the annual question as to the best means of celebrating the annual function of Labour Day, which falls on the fourth Monday in October. There was a divided feeling amongst the delegates as to what action should be taken. Some were in favour of having the celebration a≤ usual in the ante-war days, others felt that such a celebration was foredoomed to failure owing to the public purse being to a great, extent depleted by the numerous patriotic appeals that have been been made during the last two years, while a third section advocated a combined labour and patriotic carnival, in which the net proceeds, after deducting expenses, would be devoted to aiding the

Women's Patriotic Committee. At the meeting a resolution was carried in which the whole question was referred to the unions, with instructions to authorise their delegates to vote for a specified object, at "a further meeting to 'be held on July 20. That meeting takes place this eveninc. and the result of the unions' deliberations will be to determine what form the celebration will take. With a combination of patriotic societies and labour unions for a patriotic object, and with all labour in organising the function, being given gratis, the celebration cannot fail to be a success, but it is a well-known fact that" the salaries paid over a period of sometimes four months there is comparatively little to hand over to the fund proposed to be assisted. A STRIKE STOPPED. It is not generally known that two or three weeks ago an Auckland strike was nipped in the bud. The circumstances are these: In a laundry not many miles away from t/he city one of the girls, whose work as well as her appearance had impressed the manager with a sense of her usefulness and industry in "the daily round, the common task, ,, approached her employer for a rtee in •wages, and an increase of 3/ per week was gTantcd. So far so good; but the other girls got word oi her increase, and at 1 o'clock they each demanded a similar "war bonus," or they would refuse to start work. They knew nothing a-bout the provisions of the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, or any other Act, for the prevention of strikes, and neither did they care; but they did realise the value of concerted action, so they stood to their guns, the extra three shillings were forthcoming, for tho laundry was full with work that had to be done. In this case the Biblical axiom is true, "No man liveth to himself," for an advantage sained 'by one is shared by all. THE U.F.L. CONFERENCE. I notice that several of the Auckland remits to the United Federation 'of Labour Conference this month receivea very short shrift. One from the Auckland General Labourers' Union was, "That the Minister of Defence be appealed to to establish local camps in the different centres." This was lost, and there is no record of any long debate on such a buraim* question. Another from the Auckland District Council was, "That the attention of the Labour members in the House be called to the need of amending the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act in the direction of providing that (a) A dispute shall be deemed to be in existence at the expiration of. any award or industrial agreement; (b) the "ballot be not considered necessary when a special meeting of a union has ! passed a resolution to refer a. dispute to the Council of Conciliation." This remit was strongly opposed by Mr. J. Hutchison (Bootmakers)! He disagreed with the remit, which opened lip a precedent whereby the rank and file might be ignored by officials, and a bogus agreement entered into. The Hon. J. T. Paul spoke strongly against the remit,, and so also did Messrs. Dowgray and Smeaton, with the result that the remit was lost. A' Southern writer, commenting on the work of the conference, says: The 1910 July Labour Conferences have been conspicuous for the earnest determination displayed and ■ the degree of solidarity which was at all timee manifest. The conference came not heralded with trumpets, and when the business tvas ended the delegates returned quietly on their way to report what had been accomplished. The conferences were not records of oratorical triumphs, but of great deeds done in a quiet way. Like the silent forces of Nature working to accomplish great ends, the Labour movement formulated the simplest yet most comprehensive basis of unity that has yet been formally stated. The freedom of its constitution and the comparative simplicity of its platform makes it possible for all shades of the movement to find full opportunity to express itself indnstriaUy and politically; and the earnest, quiet determination of those who took part in the conferences augurs well for the future Labour movement in New Zealand, which in the days that are to come \vill date the birth of the great Labour movement in July, 1916. CO-OPERATION. The biggest co-operative bakery in Great Britain is in Glasgow. It ie operated on the federal plan, 200 societies now having shares in it to the extent of £206,400. The total capital of the concern is £565,000, this including reserve and insurance funds amounting to £63,900. The sales last year were £715,000, and the week ended April 3, 1915, was the largest in the history of the society. During that week 5.301 sacks of flour were baked—enough to feed an army of 282,720 men. The society viae established in 1869, seven distributive societies then putting down the necessary capital. The sales for the year came to £5,081, and the net profit was £23. The price of a 41b loaf at that time was 7Jd. This is only another prooi of what the working classes can do wlrcn' they learn to combine.

fro INCREASE THE LIVING WAGE.., An application was made early thie month to the New South Wale 3 Indus-1 trial Court (Mr. Justice Heydon) Mr. Juetico Edmunds) for an increase in the present minimum wage of £2 12/ per week. On behalf of the applicants it was , pointed out that, during December, 1915, the living wage was assessed by the court at £2 12/6 per week, but the Commonwealth Statistician (Mr. Knftbe) tad calculated the cost of living! during the last quarter of 1015 at £2 17/6 per week. Was tiierc any reason to justify the court in continuing to adopt-a wage that had. been found to it 4/8 bejo* ihp, effective yaln* fif Jfce

J wage of 1914 and 7/8 below the effective value of the lowest wage—that wae the living wage plus the prosperity allowance which the Court awarded in 19*41 On the assumption that 48/ had been the living wage from November, 1914, it was clear that the effectiveness of that wage had been substantially decreased. This lo* in wages was borne by the workere. Their Honore stated that they would review the arguments and consider whether the question of the minimum wage should dc considered. If that decision was arrived at, the parties concerned would be informed, and arguments for both sides heard.

In response to urgent representatione made by delegates to the Trades Hall Council of Trades Unions in Melbourne, Premier Peacock promised to do his utmost to have works put in hand in order to find employment for carpenters, painters, and workmen. Mr. Gray, secretary of the Trades Hall Council, eaid that between 400 and 600 carpenters were out of employment, 140 painters, and 350 builders' labourers. The idle skilled men were having a bad time, and their families, in some cases, could not get bread and dripping. RAILWAY WORKERS. At a macs meeting of railway employees at Petone workshops, held at midday on Monday, July 10, it was unanimously resolved that the resolution adopted by the Wellington branch of the Amalgamated Society, at its monthly meeting (which reads as follows) be endorsed: — "That this meeting emphatically pro-! tests against the withholding of the war bonus granted by Parliament to railway workers; more especially at the present time of etrese, during winter months, when the cost of commodities and coal are highest. The placing of thie burden upon the shoulders of workers is absolutely unbearable, and we urge upon the Minister to grant relief by the immediate payment of the above bonne. We view with increasing alarm the 1 statement that such bonus will not bo available until the .Appropriation Bill has been put through—which means the end of the session—and hope that justice may be meted out where justice is due. This mass meeting also adds that money bills of minor importance have already been passed, being brought down by Governor's Meseage. and that one on which so much stress ie laid by a loyal section of workers is being withheld, seems to about reach the limit of endurance." THE GERMAX AS A WORKMAN". I Sir Chas. Parsons, inventor of the marine steam turbine, presiding over a meeting of the members of the North East Coaet Institute of Engineers and Shipbuilder at Xowxaetlc-on-Tync recently, said a wave of self-depreciation was passing over Great Britain. It was being said we wero very much behind the Germane in nil our educational movements, and the Germans claimed that they had invented practically every thing. Sir Wm. Ramsay, however, had shown that in science practically all inventions and great improvements had originated in countries other than Germany, chiefly in France. Russia, Switzerland, and England. Mr. Duguid Clark had demonstrated the same thing in enjrineering and practical sciences. Sir Charles, continuing, said we had ways different from the Germane of doing things, but man for man we were better than "" •<}•.■> He illustrated this.contention by stating that about ten years ago' his firni took out comparative figures of the work done by British and German-Swiss workmen in building a thousand kilowatt turbine, and found that the British workman's work per hour was. when compared with the Gorman's work, as eight to five. The former got higher wages and worked shorter hours than did the latter, but the total wage hill of thT"Enslish-raade article was only 17 per cent higher than that of the German article.