LABOUR MATTERS

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16985, 6 November 1920, Page 9

LABOUR MATTERS

FRENCH MINERS' THREAT.

IBt Cable—Prfss Association —Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association-) AMSTERDAM. November 4. Tho Berlin paper "FreiTieit." discussing the threatened coal strike in Franpo, points out that the miners' position may be difficult because Franco is receiving German coal. It is understood that tho German miners will strike in sympathy. OVERTIME TO BE WOES'ED. SYDNEY, November o. The strike of the waterside workers against overtime has l>een declared o.t for the whole of the Commonwealth. (Received 9.20 p.m., November othi. SYDNEY, November o. A mass meeting of waterside workers discussed the executive's decision to ccclare off the overtime strike. A ballot was taken reversing the executive s action, and the strike, so far as Sydney concerned, remains in operation. CONGRESS CALLED. SYDNEY. November 5. The Federal Executive of the Australian Labour Party is convening ail all-Australian union congress with the object of amalgamating all the industrial elements for the purpose of instituting a socialist co-operative scheme. HOURS ANt> WAGES. , (Received 9.50 p.m., November sth.) SYDNEY. November «. Before tho Forty-four Hour Week Commission, the secretary of tho Building Trades Federation gave evidence that numbers of employees had left for New Zealand, California and other places where the forty-four hour week was in vogue. In connection with tho demand lor shorter hours and higher wages for harvesters, the farmers' representatives express their determination to resist them as there is plenty of labour available from their own ranks and outside sources. . . The Assembly read a third tune the Industrial Arbitration Act Amendment Bill. The main provision extends power to the Board of Trade to apply the living wage over tho whole State. OPPOSITION UNIONS. (Received 7.20 p.m., November oth.) November 5. Another fracas occurred between the opposing wharf labourers' unions. A posse of loyalists on entering Birt's wharf was attacked. A general melee followed. Revolvers were brandished on both sides, but not used. One loyalist was sent to hospital. The police arrived when the battle was over. BRITISH MINES RESUMING. (Received 8.10 p.m., November sth). LONDON, xiovember 5. Work has been partially resumed at the collieries, but many districts are no.fc resuming until Monday as a protest against the delegates' conference calling off the strike. The resentment in Lanarkshire found vent in scenes of wild disorder at Hamilton, and near SJr Smillie's residence. At Larkhall, a crowd of young miners gathered at tho miners' headquarters, demanded to see the leaders, and then raided the building. The staff fled and the police intervened. The crowd indulged in stone throwing, window smashing, and looting of shops. Similar disturbances occurrod an two other mining towns in the district. A HARMPUL POLICY. (Received November sth, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, November 5. Mr "Winston Churchill, in a speech, stated that the Labour Party's talk about direct action had deeply offended most British people. There was a growing feeling that a considerable section of organised Labour was trying to tyrannise over the whole public and trying to bully them into submission, not by argument but brute force. Labour was thus impeding the arrival of prosperity and hampering the scientific progress of industry, and so reducing the value of the wages of tho working classes. The trade unions must review the position during tho next few years if they were going to preserve the influence which they nad hitherto exercised on British industrial life. One of the deep-rooted fallacies of the Socialist was the belief that the more violent the tho better it was. From that delusion came the terrifying fear which each Labour leader felt, that he might be pushed out of the way by some young and ignorant irresponsible, who would go one better than the trusted leader. Tho fact that so many Labour leaders -were challenging the constitution was proof that tho majority of their fellow-countrymen were not on their side.