LABOUR MATTERS

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1226, 7 September 1911, Page 5

LABOUR MATTERS

TRADES CONGRESS »SCENE/ PATRONAGE RESENTED. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright * London, September 5. A "scene" occurred in tho Trades Union Congress over tho prcsenco of tho Board j of Trade delegates. 1 A motion protesting against the pat on of a Government which liad bluu- , geoned thorn and placed the military a ] the sevvico of tho railway magnets was warmly debated, and eventually negatived , by a largo majority. . • • Tho Congress carried a resolution protesting against the policy of Mr. | Churchill (Home Secretary), and demand- , ing an inquiry into military and polico excesses during the lato striko. The demonstration was directed particularly against Mr. D. J. Shackloton (formerly Labour member for Clitherhoe, noi in charge of a Labour Esc' ia "£ e '' Mr. D. C. Cummings (also in tho Board Moderate speakers defended their preTho Congress decidcd not to accept the Government's Bill in regard to the Osbdrne case, unless it is amended so as to embody a complete reversal of the principle laid down by tho Judges. A MINISTRY OF'LABOUR. (Rcc. September 7, 0.30 a.m.) Londoni September 6. Tho Trade Union Congress has instruct- j ed its Parliamentary Committee to urge Parliament to nationalise tho railways. Mr. Shaw, tho represontative .of the Northern Weavers' Union, was cheered on reminding tho congress of its previous resolutions in favour of, a Ministry of Labour. He added that the presence for the, first time of a Homo Office representative at the congress was ontirely apart from any Government act dealing, with tho strike. ~ Tho proposed resolution condemning the invitation to Messrs. Shackleton and Cummin"s was defeated by a largo majority. ' Professor S. J. Chapman foreshadowed an era of strikes and serious industrial disturbances in England for three or four years. Ho suggested tho strengthening of tho Board of Trade's powers, so as to make intervention tho usual thing, and rendering s. ikes and lock-outs impossible until an official had heard tho evidence of both sides, and endeavoured to effect a settlement. THE LATE STRIKES. GREAT INITIAL MISTAKE. - London, September 5. Mr. Thomas Burt, Liberal M.P. for Morpeth, and president of the' Miners Union, in a circular addressed to tho. Northumberland miners, says lie feels that tho North-Eastern Railway Company was harshly treated in the recent strike. The great initial mistake was the giving of only a day's ultimatum, thus not allowing time for negotiations. The majority of tho dock-gato men at Bristol and Avonmouth have struck because the others refuse to join the trades unions. Forty-six colliers and thoir wives have seen sentenced to imprisonment for from ■twenty-eight.to ninety days, in connection with tho Tredegar rioting. Tho prosecution stated that tho riots were duo to a desire to loot not to* antiSemitism. BRISTOL DOCK TROUBLE ENDS. (Rec. September G, 10.20 p.m.) London, September 6. . The dock striko at Bristol has been settled by the non-unionists joining the union. Mr.* Raeburn, vice-chairman of tho Clyde Shipping Trust, in a speech at Glasgow, 6aid that if the power to striko was admitted, the power to abstain from striking must bo regarded as sa(!red. The employers 'had their remedy, and when sympathetic strikes occurred they could close all their works and bring tlieir ships to.tlieir moorings. AUSTRALASIAN ADVICE. SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES. Londoni September 5. Mr. W. P. Reeves, formerly High Commissioner for New Zealand, in a paper read at tho meeting of the British Association, UTged that State tribunals, similar to those in New Zealand, should be established in Britain for. tho settling of strikes. - , Mr. Samuel Manger, formerly a member of tho Deakin Cabinet, gave an address describing the abolition of sweating in Victoria. AUSTRIAN RAILWAYS. GENERAL STRIKE THREATENED. Vienna, September 5. ' Five hundred delegates from railway men's organisations in all parts of Austria met and favoured a demand for a 20 per cent, increase, owing to the general rise in the cost of living. Some of the speakers foreshadowed a : general strike, similar to that just ended in Britain. Finally, at a general meeting of era- | ployeos, it was decided to submit a dei mand to tho Government, without threats , of a strike. ■ AMERICAN DISPUTE. 1 A STRIKE IMMINENT. 1 New York, September 5. Tho president of the Illinois Central 1 Railway refused to meet tho employees who demanded recognition of tlieir unions. A striko is imminent. RIOT IN FRANCE. i WEAVERS V. GENDARMES. Paris, September 5. Weavors on strike at Halluin attacked a mill employing strike-breakers, several of whom wero severely injured. • Gendarmes charged tho rioters, injuring a score of them. EPAPLOYERS AND UNION "BOSSES." AN AUSTRALIAN COMPLAINT. Melbourne, September G. At tho .annual meeting of tho Employers' Federation it was stated that seventysix main and twelve subsidiary strikes had taken place in Australia in the year onded Juno 30. Tho president declared that unless tho Labour Party wero better advised it might do irreparable damage to tho country. Employers were harassed in every conceivable direction. Tho great efforts now being made to placo them in subjection to tho union "bosses" would have to be strenuously resisted. LITHGOW STRIKERS QUIET. STATE PREMIER INTERVENING. (Rcc. September 7, 1 a.m.) Sydney, September G. Tho position at Lithgow is quiet, but both parties are determined. The State Premier, Mr. M'Ciowen, has asked both sides to meet him to-morrow to discuss the situation, with a view to arranging a settlement