TRADE AND LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 229, 27 September 1930, Page 21

TRADE AND LABOUR NOTES.

j (By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.) UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. Monday, September 29.—Bricklayers. Wednesday, October I.—Plumbers' Educational. Combined Labour party branches. Saturday, October 4.—Bakers. | N.S.W. ELECTIONS. Last week I commented ou the fact that the election" campaign in New South Wales, preparatory 'to the State elections on October 25, is now in full swing, and gave some comment 011 the opening policy speech at Ivillara, by Mr. T. R. Bavin, the Premier, as it came over the wireless on the previous Thursday evening. On Monday last I listened-in on a Sydney station and heard Mr. J. T. Lang (Labour), Leader of the Opposition, making his policy speech at Auburn. He criticised Mr. Bavin's address in merciless terms. He said Mr. Bavin had promised the returned soldiers his protection, but his Government had withdrawn their privilege of free travelling. Under Bavinism, there is one law for the big Government dailies and another for the "Labour Daily." In replying to Mr. Bavin's strictures on certain malpractices of Labour, such as "the sccret panel in the ballot box," Mr. Lang recalled the City Council Treasury scandal, in which "the man who paid the bribe was granted an indemnity from prosecution, while the man who received the bribe got gaol." One thing struck me as a listener, .and that was the free and straight-to-the-point style of language used by the speaker 011 the platform. He said: "When Labour is returned to power—l want you to note the word 'when,' not 'if'—it will break up large estates, encourage agriculture and fodder conservation, co-operate with the Federal Government in providing a wheat guarantee, embark upon proposals for agriculttrral research." Ho also assured the workers that Labour would restore the 44-hour week and maintain wages at their original levels. The Labour party Mould not for one moment be associated with any policy of repudiation. Mr. Hughes.

It. "will be remembered that Mr. W. J M. Hughes a couple of weeks ago spoke in hostile criticism of Sir Otto Niemeyer's opinions of Australian finances. Lately, Mr. Hughes has been termed "the "stormy petrel of Australian politics," and Mr. Bavin last week characterised Mr. Hughes as a '"spent force." On Wednesday night I casually tuned in on Sydney and found a political address in full swing over the air. I did not hear the name of the speaker to start with, but I had not been listening long before I had come to the conclusion that I was listening to a master of his art. It was the Rt. Hon. W. M. Hughes, member of the Federal Parliament, speaking at Lane Cove to a ciowded audience, in support of the Australian party's candidate for that constituency. He said: "Two big and powerful parties have been asking you to support them in the election on October 25. There is the capitalistic party with Mr. Bavin as its mouthpiece, well organised and wealthy, and there is the Labour party, well organised, too. But I come to you 011 behalf of the Australian party, which represents the whole of Australia. Mr. Bavin has told you that what Australia wants to cncourage its manufactures and industries is cheaper labour. It is not cheaper labour that is required, but cheaper land, with foreign markets for our products." Speaking of Sir Otto Niemeyer's visit to Australia, Mr. Hughes said: "Sir Otto says that the present standard of living of Australia must go; but take away our standard of living, and Australian workers must sink to the level of the slums of Europe. Sir Otto is a banker and naturally looks at the question from a banker's standpoint. He says that we must not decrease the present rate of exchange, it would prejudice the whole system of national finance. Do not waste your sympathy on the poor Australian banks. The Commercial Bank of Australia last year paid a dividend of 15 per cent to its shareholders. Other banks have paid ten per cent and twelve per cent. Our own Commonwealth Bank, for the halfyear just ended, shows a profit of , £779,000 for that period, an increase of [ .1.32,000 on the previous half-year. This shows that banking interests are not suffering, whatever other interests may suffer. The Australian party stands for the abolition of State Parliaments, State Governors, and. States AgentGenerals. It also stands for the maintenance of the Arbitration system. There are seven Parliaments and 13 Houses of Parliament in Australia, and this we cannot afford. He who preaches repudiation is a fool." As I listened to the little fiery poli- ( tician, and the way he swayed his great' audience, as shown by their plaudits at the close of his hour and a half's address, I saw nothing -to justify Mr. Bavin's opinion that "Mr. W. M. Hughes is a spent force."

PAYMENT FOR COUNTRY WORK. A case bristling with serious possibilities to Auckland trades unionists will shortly come before the Courts for a decision. As is well known in union circles, building trades awards contain provision for extra wages for country work, country work being "deemed to mean work performed by a journeyman which necessitates his sleeping away from home." The allowance amounts to 5/ per day, in addition to the award rates jnescribed for city and suburban work, and this extra allowance is not being paid at the job in question, The employers are relying on the poult that they are engaging single men, and such workers as are engaged have tigned a statement that they are residents o the district. It is also claimed that the engagement was made on the job. Should the decision go against the unions it will mean a monetary loss to eacli worker of 30/ per week, or a reduction of 8d an hour, and' will practical y nullify all country work clauses, no only in Auckland, but in the Dominion. YEARLY PAY FOR LABOUR. Senator James Couzene, of Michigan, ■probably the richest man an the Unite States Senate, says that, emp should pay labour by the yeai, an [this would stabilise employment, in an article in the "Survey-Graphic n< „ zine, Senator Couzens declares. "If every industry were to pay men by the year instead of by or the day, industry would find a J J to stabilise its production #so got its money's worth, lor uic i 7 a way of solving its problems when it management finds, a way ito go through periods of w o ;. k er 6 it can find a way to help through them." "Early Buyers" Sale Monday at Ashley's A.B.G. Store: , < xi ) [hape Road. See big advt. P o Magazine Section. — (Ad.)