LABOUR MATTERS

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16932, 6 September 1920, Page 6

LABOUR MATTERS

WORKMEN SEIZE FACTORIES. (By Cable—Pr«es Association—Copyrights (Australian and K. 2. Cable Association.) LONDON, September 2. The Milan correspondent of tho "Daily C'nronielc'' says tho factorypoizing movement is spreading through ! Italy. Thousands of workers stormed I the gates niul sealed the trails of tho F.I.A.T. motor ivorks at Turin, which j employ 10,000 hands. Workers also oc. ' cupied the machinery shops of 20 other well-known .intomobile firms in Northern Italy. Fortunately, the majority of ' the companies had taken tho proraution to transfer their money and valuables secretly in the night from their own . strong-rooms to tho banks. Red-flags I were hoisted. _ _ _ Tho industrial works seized in Home ' and Naples are c.hieily engaged in tnak- : ing tram-cars, electrical apparatus, and armament?. Workmen's committees i are exercising stern discipline, and havo i even constituted prisons insido tho cap. : tnred factories, in which recalcitrants aro puniiOieu. In somo places tho work, men aro forging lances in order to get military equipment lor übo if an attempt is made to dislodge them. Tho Government is averse to intervening, but tho Minister of Labour, after consultation with tho Catholic and Labour organisations, has proposed a j formula of conciliation, whereby tho workers shall take over the direct management. of tho factories 'through tho formation <5f societies of skilled mnangers and eo-oporntive companies among the men, who will pay the owners rent based on tho cost of the plant. 'Received September oth, 11.5 p.tu \ PARIS, September 4. An unconfirmed report from Italy states that n Soviet regime has boeu established in many Italian cities, including Rome, Gefton, Florence, Milan, and Turin. ENGINEERING LOCK-OUT. * LONDON, September 2. _ The efforts to avert .in engineorui" dispute failed, am tho lock-out will bogin on Saturday. In view of tho number of onginee depending on electrical workers, it ib estimated that 1,500,000 engineers will bo affected if tho elcctrical engineers aro locked out. (Received September 6th, 12.50 a.m.) LONDON, September 5. The electricians' and printers' strikes are in progress. A JAPANESE MOVE. TOKIO, September 2. Labour organisations have called a general meeting for the purpose of forming n NationarLibour Association with economic and political aims. TRIBUNAL REPUDIATED. SYDNEY, September 4. The IllawaiTft coal-minora passod a resolution repudiating the coal tribunal at present sitting in Sydney, .and urging its representative to withdraw. BANK CLERKS OUT. (Received September sth, 5.5 p.m.) RIO DE JANEIRO, September 3. The emploveea of the Banco National Marine, one of the largest in South America, struck becauso the management refused to discharge tho chief bookkeeper. The strike has disturbed the entire financial district. . LUXURIOUS TRANSPORT. ' (Received September sth, 5.5 p.m.j LONDON, September 3. _ A Guildford builder employs a taxicab to convey his bricklayers to work, this being cheaper than paying for tho time occupied, in walking tnereto. A PIVE-DAT WEEK. (Received September sth. 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, September s.' Mass meetings of engineers, boilermakers, and stovemakors, decided in future not to -work on Saturdays. < MAYFLOWER TERCENTENARY. —-—-4 FUNCTIONS AT PLYMOUTH. (Australian.' and ' N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received September 6tli, 12.50 a.m.) * ' LONDON, September 6; : Tho Mayflower celebrations at Plymouth opened brillrantly. There w&ro soveral notable Amorican guests. Tile festivities include religious, musical, tira ' historical functions, and a procession and pageant through the streets. Special eorvices in honour of the Mayflower tercentenary wcro held in. several of oho Christehurch cnurches yesterday. At the Oxford terrace Baptist Church, where there were large congregations, at all services, tho Rev. J. J. North in the morning spoke on "Tho Bond that held the Pilgrim Fathers —tho Romance of the Mayflower," and at tho ovening service his subject fras, "How 102 Religious Outlaw's Founded the Modern World." The main trend of-the preacher's remarks in both sermons was that the Pugnnj Fathers were recognised as the real pioneers of democracy. Hymns appro-, priate to the special occasion wero sung by the choir. At Trinity Congregational Church, the morning service was taken by the Rev. W. H. A. Vickery, who discoursed on "Tho Pilgrims' Covenant." The evening service was taken by the Rev. Clyde Carr, who gave an. instructive sermon, his subject being,. "Pioneers of- Freedom." Tho preacher quoted from Silvester Home s bow, "Romance of Preaching," and_ paid' special tributes to the memory of Job" Robinson, tho preacher, who inspired the heroic little community to journey to an unknown world for the sake of religious freedom. It should never be forgotten, said Mr Carr, that modern America sprang out of the ideal relation betwen a pastor and a church, : a man of God and a people or God. Sublime co-operation made tho westward track of the Mayflower plain, and wrote the new book of Genesis in the Bible of human destiny. At the morning service at the Tennyson street Co?" gregational Church, Mr G. E. Franklin preached a fitting sermon for the ter-, centenary celebrations, and there / a parade of Boy Scouts, under Scout-' master Richardson, #at tho Linwow Congregational Church, at 11 when the preacher was the Rev. WH® Carr. Mr Henry Sturgo took the pulp" in that church for the evening server