TRADE AND LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1927, Page 12

TRADE AND LABOUR NOTES.

(By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.)

UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. This evening. March 11.—Curriers. Monday, March 14. —Painters, Saddlers. Tuesday. March la.—Plumbers, Timberworkers. Wednesday, March 16.—Plasterers. Thursday, March 17.—Trades Council. Related Printing Trau.-s. Plin...»-\f Educational. THE UNEMPLOYED. There has been no lessening of the volume of unemployment in Auckland and the prospects for the autumn and winter are forbidding indeed. Each week brings its steady quota to an increase of population, in the arrival of migrants sent out under the immigration system adopted by the New Zealand Government. When the deputation of union secretaries was received by the Prime Minister, two <r three weeks ago, Mr. Coates announced the intention of the Government to call a halt with immigrants to the Dominion in May, and when he was asked, "Did that mean departure from Britain in May, or arrival in the Dominion?" he replied "I don't know, I will make enquiries and let you know." So far, the Trades Hall has had no answer to that question, which is an important one, for departure from Britain in May, means a steady arrival of migrants in the Dominion till well into July or August, when trades and occupations are most stagnant. It is not merely in labour circles that the topic of unemployment is seriously dis•lti«ed. it invites .•on*i<li>ratio!«

sections of the community. One day this week I dropped into Pitt Street Methodist Church for about half an hour to view the proceedings in the Methodist conference, that this year, is being held in Auckland. It was a most impressive scene; hundreds of delegates, lay and clerical, assembled from all parts of the Dominion, discussing.some subject that had been opened up prior to my entry on the scene, but I had not been there many minutes before I caught the words, "immigration" and ''unemployment," and I found myself at home at once with a familiar topic under discussion. The general tend of the discussion was, that the Government should not bring workers to the Dominion, without first giving a guarantee that the new arrival would have work when he landed. A popular Auckland cleric, who termed himself

"an immigrant," because of his recent introduction to the Dominion, was most scathing in his description of the hard lot of the newly-arrived "Homie." He described how, no later than last Saturday, he had visited one of the new arrivals, who had been a member of the Methodist Church in the Old Country; a steady, quiet man who had been a worker in the Church. During the few months he had been in Auckland, he had only had casual work for a few weeks. With a family to provide for, and a dark, outlook in front of him, he confessed, that he had, at times, hard work to keep out of his mind, thoughts of committing suicide. As 1 have said, I have no idea how the discussion started, and my time being limited, I had to leave before it finished, so I do not know what conclusion was arrived at by the conference; but this terrible problem of unemployment was troubling other than labour minds, was the impression that I had gained by my short visit.

LABOUR DEMONSTRATIONS. This year's eight-hour demonstration of the Melbourne unions on April 4 will certainly be considerably changed in its character of years. There will be, to begin with, a revival of the trsßle displays which in earlier times were a big feature of the procession, but'which came to be opposed as being too much an advertisement for bosses rather than for ideals. Experience, however, seems to have proved that processions are unattractive unless spectacular. In the effort to cater for increased popular support determined organising is afoot in the direction of making the forthcoming displays emblematic of industrial progress and inventive advancement.

In the second place, the day's programme at the Exhibition is also being largely reconstructed, especially in the way of arranging for massed physical culture exercises by the girls of the factories. Preliminary demonstrations to Melbourne's will be Ballarat's eighthour celebrations on March 14 and Geelong's on March 28. In both events trade displays will be featured.

ALL-AUSTRALIAN CONGRESS. The All-Australian Trade Union Congress will be held at the Trades Hal!, Melbourne, on May 3 next. The basis of representation will be on the lines of the 1921 congress—viz., one delegate for the first 1000 members and one delegate for each subsequent 2500 members. It has been decided that two delegates from each of the State Trades and Labour Councils should b<» invited to attend the All-Australia Trade Union Congress on May 3. It was also decided to invite the New Zealand Federation of Labour to send two delegates.

LABOURS' CHANCES IN VICTORIA. Victoria remains the one Australian State in which the Labour party has never won an election (says an Australian Labour exchange). An opportunity to redeem its reputation comes with the general election in May. In spite of alleged electoral handicap, Labour has (according to this authority) a sporting chance of winning. Its political enemies,' usually solid at the poll, are this time split into four antagonistic sections, which show little hope of being reconciled into a common antagonism to Labour on polling day. There are the Nationalists, the Farmers' Union, the Primary Producers' Union, which has quarrelled with the Farmers' Union, and both of which have quarrelled with the Nationalists, and the Liberals, practically a new party which seeks to revive the old Liberal ideals — amongst which are a respect for .principles and for political fairplay. Though the Labour party has never won an election in Victoria, it has twice held office. The Elmslie Ministry, 13 years ago, had a brief run of 13 days; and the Prendergast Ministry, which two years ago, was made possible by the split between the Peacock and the Allen parties, held office for four months. Voting is not compulsory in Victoria, but the preferential system of voting makes it probable that, in the circumstances of the political situation as stated above, Labour will score a heavy second preference vote.