LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 15

LABOUR NOTES.

UNION ACTIVITIES. (By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.) UNION MEETINGS FOR* TflE WEEK. Monday, .Time 15-—Butchers. T.oeal Bodies' Labourers, Wooden Sports Goods Workers. Tuesday. Juno 10—Furniture Trades, Engineers (<iuarterl.v), Piano Tuners and Repairers, Plumbers. Wednesday. .Tune 17 —Auckland Carpenters, Plasterers, Onelimiga Carpenters, Carpet Weavers. Thursday. .Tune 18—Engiiied rivers, Floci Mills Workers.

THE ORGANISING EPIDEMIC

This epidemic, which took its rise during the "turn of the equinox" in March last, has steadily increased in intensity ever since, and even now the most optimistic enthusiasts in unionism cannot safely declare that it hap reached the peak. A glance at our list of union meetings arranged for the week will present to the thoughtful reader quite a number of additions to our regular list of organised unions so familiar to us in the past, and, as the hymn says, "Still there is more to follow." So intense is the feeling to organise taking hold of the community that some people are anxious to have a little union of their own to play with and taking steps accordingly, but not hitherto with much success, for the registrar of industrial unions, governed by the clause in the Act which does not countenance a multiplicity of unions in the one industry, has already refused several of these well-meant endeavours to bring about a betterment in working conditions in businesses that have hitherto been run on the old principle of supply and demand. Guilds and shop unions are not to be officially recognised. Even the clerical workers in local bodies appear to be infected with this organising virus, for I notice that when the question was being discussed by a small local body in the country a member suggested that as they had only one person affected that employee should form a union of his own. Perhaps that employee is a single man and will take the hint.

A WELL-EARNED HOLIDAY. This week Parliament adjourns for a mid-winter holiday of live weeks after a strenuous 11 weeks', work. During that period the House sat 011 43 days and passed 15 Government bills, all more or hv;s of a strongly contentious character. Labour as a party has often been saddled with the responsibility of encouraging strikes that have been of the "go-slow" character and such strikes have always been accounted as the most difficult strike to cope with from an employer's point of view. But in getting through such a record schedule of work in il weeks 110 suspicion of a "go-slow" policy can be laid at the door of the Parliamentary Labour party by tlie bitterest anti-Labour critic. The fact is, that they have worked too hard for some people, who would have been better pleased had there been more "loafing" on the job. But I have to admit a certain amount of sympathy for the Opposition party, for if the Government has been worked hard with its '55 members ready to defend its policy, what a hard row to hoe lias been the lot of the National party now in Opposition numbering 10 members, with its poverty of what might be termed "A team" debaters. Night after night have Messrs. Poison, Broadfoot, Coates and Holland had to step into the forefront of the battle in defence of their liberties, while the Government has a wealth pf practised speakers to draw from, while the majority of the party keep silenceat a time when a bit of verbosity would be welcomed to give breathing time to tlie harassed four. It is only the rank and file of Parliamentarians who have this respite of five weeks, for the members of the Cabinet are to start immediately to get more bills ready for the others to deal with 011 their return in July, and the Opposition party will have to utilise the recess in a complete study of economics and tactics, for even their own party organ in Wellington has been rubbing salt 011 tiie wounds when it

says: "It is not enough for the Opposition to 'cheek' the Government. It must supply arguments supported by convincing evidence. That is its job, and in the interests of the country it ought to get down to the job." "Wounded in the house of its friends," such criticism as this from such a quarter, is not encouraging to the "dauntless five." So far the Opposition speeches have consisted of prophecies of disaster and arguments and evidence are usually absent in prophetic matters until they have been fulfilled.

AS OTHERS SEE US. New Zealand at the remarkable election in November returned a Labour Government with a big majority over its opponents, who had ruled the country in one form or other for 20 years, states the "Manchester Guardian" editorially. Yesterday Mr. Savage, the Prime Minister, indicated the order in which he is likely to fulfil his election pledges. The election was partly fought over the high exchange rate— the New Zealand pound is at 2~> per cent discount with the British pound— but Mr. Savage admitted that 110 reduction was contemplated in the immediate future. The truth is that any revaluation of the currency would be bound to injure the farmers, who are competing for the British market and make up the bulk of the electorate. llow is the Labour party to benefit the fanner? The New Zealand Government, after glancing at the confused efforts of Mr. Aberhart in Alberta, Canada, to get round his promises of £5 a week for everyone, has preferred to follow mildly in the footsteps of Mr. Roosevelt in the capitalist United States. The New Zealand farmer is to be given a guaranteed price foe his cheese and butter at once and has been promised a guaranteed price for his wheat. This simply means a Government subsidy, and there is nothing revolutionary in the proposal, which some British farmers would like to see adopted by our Government. Mr. Savage liopes to recoup the New Zealand Treasury when prices rise. Meanwhile the New Zealand Reserve Bank is to be nationalised so that the Government may control credit. This bank has only been in. existence for a year, and a change in'; the appointment of one director will bring it under Government control. If Mr. Savage also uspa the national credit for public works, as he has promised, to get rid of the 50,000 unemployed, that will certainly give a pinker tinge to his programme than his subsidies to farmers.

The Railway Department advertises in another column, particulars of train arrangements in connection with the King's Birthday. An advertisement in this issue announces the opening of the rock oyster season on June 18, 193 G. Particulars as to prices are given.