LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 267, 10 November 1934, Page 20

LABOUR NOTES.

UNION ACTIVITIES. (By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.) UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. This Evening, November 10.—Fellmongers (committee). Sunday, November 11.—Front of the House. Monday, November 12.—Glassworkcrs (at Penrose). Tuesday, November 13. —Storemen. GOOD ADVICE. The retiring president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, Mr. A. M. Seaman, in his presidential address at the Christclmreli annual conference last week, tendered some good advice to the assembled delegates on the subject of State interference with private enterprise. This cry has long been made by commercial men who largely make up the membership of the many chambers of commerce. In fact almost any State control or interference with business is anathema to our leaders in commerce; so much so that it is not long ago since the slogan was put forward of: "More business in government and less Government, in business." But Mr. Seaman in his address gave a warning and at the same time some sound advice to the conference. He noted the increasing tendency of the State and public bodies all over the world to take over the control and management of business, and urged that it is futile of the chambers of commerce and business men generally mostly to resist the aforesaid trend. He rather urged the chambers to try to guide the movement instead, of eontimiing to pose as Canutes in the world of industry.

This is sound advice and should be heeded, coming from such a quarter. Other critics and authorities in the past have spoken in much the same strain, but their words have largely been unheeded. Not so long ago an American writer and lecturer, Mr. Van Loon, who was visiting Auckland as cicerone on one of the palatial tourist ships, gave some interesting addresses during his brief visit, and also spoke over tha radio on his impressions and conclusions, and inter alia he mentioned the impressive fact that all over the world revolutions had taken place and were taking place, some of them bloody revolutions; and while the British Empire and "Eng-lish-speaking* world generally had so far escaped these terrible upheavals, yet revolutions were inevitable, even in those parts of the world, for the old social system had been tried and found wanting, and it rested with ourselves whether these revolutions when they did come would be peaceful ones. That could only be achieved by guiding them when they did arrive. Practically, Mr. Seaman's advice is much on the same lines and should be heeded. Even the individual members of the chambers of commerce are not averse to the principle of "State control" fov the other fellow, but they do not relish the idea in regard to themselves. New Zealand under the Ballance-Seddon regime led the world in State enterprise, and initiated some staggering schemes of State control. They were termed sarcastically "The Seven Devils of Socialism," but so well did State fire insurance, and other schemes work for the benefit of all classes that on the advent of the Reform Party to power, and during its long stay in office, none of these so-called Socialistic schemes was ever repealed. In our city councils the same old fetish of "private enterprise'" is still revered by a section, but at each election this feeling is gradually being altered by fresh blood, so that soon it will be an accepted doctrine that all public utilities that tend to become monopolies shall be run by the State or municipalities.

MUNICIPAL SUCCESSES. Last week-end saw us in possession of some very important news from the Old Country as the result of the municipal elections, in which there was a . "landslide" to Labour. Fif ten councils in London alone are now in the possession of Labour, 37 seats were won at Finsbury, every seat at Stepney, 34 at Islington (where the party was not previously represented), and 45 at Hackney, compared with one previously on the council. Commenting , on the results, Mr. George Lansbury, Leader of the party, said that they proved that municipal socialism is getting a firm hold on the people. It is certain, he said, that the longer the Government remains in office, the greater will be the smashing victory of Labour. An Auckland" man who has just re'tnrned from a visit to the Mother Country,' and was present during the municipal campaigns in city and country just finished, states that in Britain they have no intensive campaign in municipal matters as we know it. The Parliamentary and municipal campaigns are conducted on totally different lines in Britain. In the Parliamentary campaigns, for instance, the Government usually comes out at the last minute with some "staggering exposure," which there is no time to refute, before polling day, and thus timid voters are frightened off their first intentions. One year, it will be remembered, the Zinovieff letter was published, and after the election it was proved to be absolutely harmless. Labour had 458 gains and one loss, while Municipal Reformers, who are Conservatives under another name, had two gains and 394 losses. Progressives had nine gains and 50 losses. In most of the councils, even in the provinces, there had been a small leavening of Labourites, but last week's election has seen this largely increased, and in some cases, en- ' tirely predominant. Someone has said, ' "What London thinks to-day the world does to-morrow." I wonder if that applies to New Zealand? MELBOURNE STRIKE. One of the lessons of the Melbourne tramw'aymen's strike (remarks the "Australasian") is a lesson in simple arithmetic. The strike lasted four days; each' striker lost £2 10/8; the centenary bonus of £8000, granted under the terms of the settlement, yields £2 8/0 to each man. Thus the men have lost 2/2 each by striking for four days. There is, however, more in the figures than appears on the surface. The Tramways : Board lost about £30,000 in revenue in j the four clays of the idle trams. To this extent its ability to give any increase in wages, or tb' spend upon improved conditions, is impaired. The union, it seems, was swayed by the Communist element, which is noisy and active, and conducts an unscrupulous and coercive campaign. The decent members of the union, shrinking from insult, usually absent themselves from meetings. At the final meeting of the men, however, the extremists were overborne. Possibly the fear that the community might ,prove f.We to dispense with the trams for an '■•clefinite period awoke the men to a £i:.:e of danger. ■