LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 272, 16 November 1935, Page 18

LABOUR NOTES.

UNION ACTIVITIES. ((By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.) UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. Monday, November IS—Hairdressers. Tuesday,• November 19—Plumbers. Suburban and Local Bodies. Chemical Manure Workers. "Wednesday, November 20 —Auckland Carpeiitcrs. Plasterers. Oneliunga Carj)Ontcrs.. Thursday, November 21—Hotel and Restaurant Workers. ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

The Parliamentary elections campaign is now in full swing, and.the man in the street can talk about nothing else; it is a staple subject served up for breakfast, dinner and tea. At the latter meal the "Star" is eagerly scanned—not for the most interesting picture show, but to decide which candidate's meeting is likely to develop the most fun or excitement. Meetings in lialls appear to be more in request this election than in the past, and not so many open-air addresses are in evidence. This fact is attributed to the very unseasonable weather that we have experienced since the campaign proper began; weather not only showery, but cold, bleak and searching, born of the south-westerly and southerly winds that have been prevailing. One budding scientist yesterday went to some trouble to explain to me the reason for this wintry weather in the month of November. It is this: With 2;io candidates and their lieutenants, any or all of whom may be holding forth on the one night from the North Cape to Stewart Island, there is an immense volume of hot air released, and it is a physiological fact that hot air always rises, and cold air in an equal volume flows in from the South Pole to fill the vacuum, for "Nature abhors a vacuum." I was greatly impressed by sucli scientific reasoning, and there might be a lot of truth in it.

Tlio three party leaders are busily engaged touring the Dominion, strengthening the party walls where most needed and bringing enthusiasm and encouragement to many candidates and followers. Mr. Forbes, the Prime Minister, is working his way north in the North Island; Mr. Hislop, the Democrat leader, is making his way south in an opposite direction (geographically, I mean); while Mr. Savage, the Leader of the Opposition, has "done" the South Island (geographically, of course, again), and will shortly be home again in his own electorate of Auckland West. He spoke at Hastings on Thursday night to a crowded meeting, and his further dates are: Gisborne 15,' To Puke 10, Thames 18, Matamata 10, Hamilton 20, Auckland 20 to 27 (polling day). Between those dates it is quite on the cards that he will address a meeting in Parnell, assisting Mr. Osborne, who has a strong opposition in that electorate.

Reports coming in from Labour organisers are favourable indeed s for success of the party, so much so that there is a possible danger of taking things too much for granted. In an election campaign the workers for any party should always work as if the final issue is going to depend on one vote and they are out to get that one vote. I remember in one bygone election campaign that the late Hon. Sir George Fowlds, a Cabinet Minister for years, contesting Grey Lynn, was. so satisfied with his prospects that he detailed a number of his cabs on polling day to work for his coLiberal candidate, Mr. Speight, in the Eden electorate, who was fighting a losing battle. It was chivalrous, no doubt, but those cabs were needed in Grey Lynn before the day was over, and both Mr. Fowlds and Mr. Speight were among the defeated.

Even Government supporters are getting the idea that Labour is going to fare well this election. An old friend of mine who has always voted Reform because it was a heritage from his father before him, admitted to me that he was afraid that Labour would emerge from the conflict with about 38 seats. I told him not to be so despondent, for I expected 42, an absolute majority; anything less than that number would be of little use to the party. THE BRITISH ELECTIONS. The British elections took place on Thursday, and when these lines reach my readers they will be in possession -of the main results and. judge.'for ' themselves. Over 1300 candidates are contesting over GOO seats, and if the hotair in New Zealand at present is intense and of considerable volume, what must it be over the British Isles where the use of radio has also been brought into requisition? •In these days all Parliamentary elections in Britain are held on the same day, but I well remember the day when different electorates had different polling days, extending over as much as a fortnight or three weeks. The Government of the day had the arranging of _ polling day, and it was ,quite the thing for the safest Government seats to have the earliest polling-day, as the successes of the ruling, party would-hay© a great moral effect on the ti'tnid Or vacillating voter 'in other centres, for "nothing succeeds like success." ■ The defeat of an important politician in the earlier polling thus gave aihple time for him to be nominated for a Contest during the last week of the campaign. This system which admitted of great abuses has been relegated to the Jimbo of the past, along with the proxy voting, dual voting and pocket seats like Old Sarum, and the Old Country is riiaking its way slowly towards a Democrat system. So may it be!

LABOUR ON FARMS. Further discussion took place at the last meeting of the Manawatu Executive of the Farmers' Union on the question of farm labour and the conditions under which young men and boys were asked to work. . Mr. H. J, McLeavey (Ohau) said he thought inspections should be made of the conditions under which the men had to work. Living conditions, hours and remuneration should be more closely supervised. Ho knew of several instances where boys were working under conditions he certainly would not permit a son of his own to work under. While farmers allowed such conditions to persist, they were largely to blame for the shortage of labour. He thought payment at an liou'rly rate would have to be introduced. When that was done farm workers might get a rest in the middle of the day, instead of working as slaves and worse. Mr. N. Campbell expressed the opinion that the cases of mistreatment were isolated, and jn the majority of cases the boys were taken in as members of the family. , There was an inevitable drudgery about farm work. Mr. E.- G. Beard said that if a carpenter could get 2/3 an hour an accomplished farm hand should get at least as much; his skill was no less. That farmers were unable to pay their men a wage commensurate with tile hours worked was the general opinion of the meeting.