LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 108, 8 May 1937, Page 17

LABOUR NOTES.

UNION ACTIVITIES. (By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.) UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. Monday, May 10—Painters, Jewellers Tuesday, May 11—Storemen. Thursday, May 13—Trades and Labour Council. Boilermakers. DANCE BANDS. I notice that the president of the Otago and Southland Musicians' Union, accompanied by the secretary (Mr. J. Robinson) has visited Invercargill on union business. They met a number of members of dance bands and explained to them the conditions of the award and the obligation to join the union.

In his weekly column, "Labour and tne Unions," in the "Southland Times," "W.S.W." says:—"The position has been placed before the inspector of factories (Mr. H. Hopper), and acting on his advice, the Southland secretary (Mr. W. Whitty) has advised all members of dance bands that the compulsory union clause applies and members will" require to join the union. Any musician playing in Invereargiil or Southland, as well as those in brass bands, etc., must join. HOUSING AT ORAKEI. This week actual housing operations have been started at Orakei under the Government housing scheme, and in a few months that suburb will have become a hive of industry. There are still complaints of the injustice of the State engaging in competition with private enterprise, but the higher and nobler principles that have actuated the Government are lost eight of by many of the critics, who are not entirely disinterested. The chief motive of the Government is to bring comfortable, hygienic homes within the reach of citizens at a rental within the means of the poorest. To do this means the elimination of the middleman's profits, for no one expects a private citizen to do this philanthropic work without getting profits out of it for himself. In the past, some of these profits have been considerable. As a carpenter who came out of his apprenticeship at the time when the Surrey Hills estate—now the suburb of Grey Lynn—was thrown open to speculative'builders, I know the class of house that was erected in many cases. I know the finality of the materials used in the construction of many of those houses, how often thoy changed ownership and always at ail increased price. I also note the condition they are in to-day after 50 years of occupation.

The Government houses will start thoir career under much better auspices. They will be for rental only and not for purchase. Built of the best materials at the lowest market price, secured by purchasing in big quantities, with the best of workmanship in the construction, under efficient supervision of disinterested supervisors, the Minister hopes to fix a rent for each that will pay interest on the money expended. Xor is the

supervision finished when the building is erected, for it is continued during the occupancy, and any repairs or deficiencies will be made good on the "stitch in time" principle, and the houses will always be in good, repair. Of course, some speculative persons view the question from the personal angle, but the "greatest good to the greatest number" is the guiding principle of the Labour Government.

There are some among the workers who complain of the fact that the houses are being built for rental only and cannot he [.iirchased ontrijrht or on time payment, but past Governments i.ave already tried that system, and it has not been a success. Under tile new system of occupation by rental only, the worker will, if advisable, save enough while payin? rent, to secure for himself a house ot his own from outside sources; in the meantime he is sure of a home from winch he cannot be evicted.

THE FUTURE OF INDUSTRIAL UNITY.

Last week I made some comment upon the results of the conference of :i(M) union delegates that met in Wellington last month with the declared object of meroinn. the rival industrial organisations of the Dominion into one united federation of Labour that would speak with one official voice on Dominion labour problems. Their object was achieved and the delegates left' for their home towns with one determination to do their utmost in carrying out the aim of the conference. oiie of mv confreres "Unionist," in his labour column in the Dunedin "Evening Star" last week, in commenting on the work of the conference under the above headinwrites:— °'

The much clamoured for Industrial Unity Conference has come and "one It is now declared that complete" unanimity exists in the organised trade union movement of the Dominion. At the conclusion of what some of the speakers described as an historical conference, men who had previously been at "daggers drawn" shook hand's and agreed to work harmoniously together and endeavour to build up an industrial movement that would be unprecedented in New Zealand.

Big "Jim" Roberts, who has figured in national industrial politics for many years, decided to take a back seat and not stand for any office. During one of the debates he said: "I love the Labour party, and I would not do anything to harm them or embarrass them as a Labour Government to govern this country. That is the reason I am here to sink my differences and help to about unity." °

Other speakers on the opposite side to Mr. Roberts expressed the same views, and at the conclusion of a five days' conference the delegates disbanded and went to their respective homes Diinedin delegates who remained until the conclusion of the conference state that the last two days were the best, and that a genuine "comradely" spirit prevailed amongst all the delegates, most of the time being devoted to the drafting of the details of the new constitution.

Meetings are now being held by the respective unions, where- the delegates who attended on their behalf are rendering their reports for the purpose of getting their -organisations to adopt them. " '

There is now a lot of organising workto be done in the various districts to get all the unions to affiliate to the local Trade Councils, the name it was decided to call the new district councils, to be established in each district, that will in turn be affiliated to the national organisation—viz., the New Zealand Federation of Labour.

This work will probably be commenced in each centre in the very near future—the sooner the better, as usually delegates attending this sort of conference are apt to forget their promises to work and create local enthusiasm for the new movement they helped to launch.