LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 201, 26 August 1939, Page 13

LABOUR NOTES.

THE THREAT OF WAR. OPPOSITION'S PLEDGE. (By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.) UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. Sunday, August 27.—Musicians (special*. Monday. August 28.—Painters. Hotel Workers, Building Trades' Council. Tuesday, August '-9.—Radio Workers. Thursday. August 31.—Coopers, Hotel Workers, Klectricftl Workers. SUSPENSE. At a time like this, when the alarming state of affairs in Europe is the one absorbing topic and we arc living from day to day not knowing what the next hour will bring forth, it is hard to settle down to consider any feubjeet that has no direct or indirect bearing upon the ijuestion. "Can war be averted?"' This is a time when personal opinions as well as party politics must be put on one side, and a national viewpoint must be taken. This week tile Lender of the ! Opposition, Mr. Hamilton, assured the House of Representatives that in the event of war hit; party would support the Government in any action taken for the security of the Dominion. In the last war, it will be remembered, a I Coalition Government was formed to carry on the affairs of the country. This included Reform and Liberal section* of the House, but the late Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour party, claimed that his party had never beo.-i invited to join the Coalition. Now a Labour Government is in power and is doing its utmost to cope with any situation that may arise, and it is assuring to know that the Opposition will unite to form a solid Parliament to handle any measures for the defence of tin Dominion.

INCREASED TIMBER OUTPUT. One industry that was liard hit by the five yearp; of depression was the saw-milling industry. Building was in a stagnant condition, yards were full of timber ready for consumption and mill* were either shut down or working short time. At a meeting of unionists held recently in Invereargill, Mr. T. O'Byrne, who is still secretary of the Southland branch of the Timber Workers' Union, made some interesting comments on the present position of the timber industry. Compared with 1032, he said, the increase in the output of timber from mills for 1 !>o.S-30 was over oO per cent. The number of mills working and the number of men employed had increased in the same ratio. Wages had been nearly trebled, the average earnings of the timberworker in 1032 being £117 per annum and in 10SS £22(i per annum. In 1032 the output of timber was 104,000,000 board feet, valued at £1,172.000. In 1038 it was 323,000,000 board feet, of a total value exceeding £3,000,-

000. The number of sawmills of all classes was 504, of which 344 were working full time, said Mr. O'Byrne. That some were working short time was due principally to substitutes used in the place of wood. In days gone by a five-roomed house took about 12,000 feet of timber, but with the use of brick, veneer, concrete and beaver board, etc., the use of 0.8. timber had been reduced to half that amount, doing away considerably with the former large demand for second-class timber. However, the Government was meeting the position by easing up the building specifications, and had promised to erect a higher percentage of wooden houses which would create a better demand for timber. PAID HOLIDAYS. Lancashire cotton operatives are to get holidays with pay—but not just yet. The employers are proposing that the scheme shall start in 1040. They suggest one week's holiday, with a payment of one-fiftietli of the operative's yearly earnings. With the employers finally agreeing to recommend the scheme, the unions at least have gained recognition of the principle of payment for holidays. The operatives were disappointed at not obtaining the concession last year, and demanded that at the very least a token payment should be made to remove from t lie cotton industry the stigma that it was lagging behind many other trades in treatment of its employees, especially when there were complaints about" the difficulty of recruiting labour.