LINES ABOUT LABOUR.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 119, 15 November 1902, Page 4 (Supplement)

LINES ABOUT LABOUR.

The New South Wales Public Works Department has notified the Sydney Stonemasons' Union that it will in future employ no men who have left private employment to get on to Government jobs. The Bowen correspondent of the Brisbane Courier recently sent his paper the following telegram : — "The Proserpine mill is at present very busy, running up to 9 o'clock each night, and crushing an average of 200 tons of cane per day. The most of this is cut by white labour at about 3s 3d per ton, and some expeit men on good, heavy crops can earn up to £3 per week." Under the auspices of the organising committee of the Sydney Labour Council, the street workers of Sydney have been organised as a trades union. Mr. Bent, the Victorian Minister of Railways, intends to confer with the railway officers and engine-drivers as to the possibility of establishing the eight hours system for drivers and firemen on suburban lines. The men at piesent work 8J hours, and they contend that an alteration could be made without causing the least inconvenience to any one. Labour held high carnival in Perth on the 28th ult. in celebration of the anniversary of the initiation of the eight hours system in Western Australia. A public holiday had been proclaimed, and the whole community had a full opportunity of availing themselves of it. Foremost amongst the engagements for t/he day were the labour demonstrations at Perth" aad 3?remantle> the customary pageantry and display, followed by sports meetings. When the West Australian Arbitration Court met on 30th October the President (Mr. Justice Moorhead) said he desired to make some comment on the allegations recently hurled against him as President of that Court by the leaders of the Trades and Labour Council, who had charged him with bias. He did not feel inclined to take harsh measures, and as the allegations had been made that he was unfriendly to labour, he would unfold to them the book of his life. Mr. Justice Moorhead then proceeded, in a long address, to explain the part he had taken in Irish politics and in the politics of Western Australia. He also cited a number of cases in which, as counsel, he had without fee placed his services at the disposal of poor clients. His Honour, who is in a weak state of health, repeatedly trembled with emotion. Replying to the statement that he had been an office-seeker, he said he had twice refused the Attorney-Generalship, and had stood aside for Mr. Justice Parker when that gentleman,, was appointed to the bench. Regarding, the contempt, the way he proposed to punish the offenders was not to allow them to appear before him or assist in the conduct of -any case until they came and retracted their language and apologised to^the Court. He concluded his speech, which created a painful impression, in tha following terms : — "If I have ten years of life to live I can at least travel down the bourne from which no traveller returns, and hope to sleep the sleep of peace. If my fame is not told by any sculptured tomb or gilded monument, I hope, at least, to live in the hearts of the labour classes of this State as a man who tried to do 'his best." An open-air demonstration, organised by the Melbourne Trades Hall, Council, was held recently. A resolution was carried earnestly appealing to the Legislative Council to pass without- delay tho Bill to continue the operation of the Shops and Factories Act. Some speakers made references to "shedding their blood" and "breaking into Parliament House" as a means of securing the Factories Act in full operation. Another excited orator expressed the opinion that if the Legislative Council rejected the Continuation Bill there would be a l evolution in Victoria. Men who had spent their lives in advancing the workers' interests felt that if the Act was lost there wouJd be no need for them to live longer. The Solicitor-General, interviewed by a deputation from the meeting, said that ho would do his utmost to secure the passing of the Continuation Bill, and he was hopeful of the attitude of the Legislative Council towards the measure. The action of the New South Wales Parliamentary Labour Party in allowing the House to be "counted out" during the debate on Mr. A. Griffith's Bill to provide for free education has been much criticised in labour circles. Members were censured by several speakers at a recent meeting of the Sydney Labour Council, and it was afterwards announced that their absence from the House hasbeen closely considered by the Political Labour League. The league, it was stated, called upon them for a report, and at its last meeting carried a resolution of condemnation. The Premier was to be asked by a monster labour deputation to again have the matter brought before Parliament during this session. The erection of additions to the Sj'dney Trades Hall has been the cause of considerable unrest in Qabour circles. In j no place has the system ot day labour been more extolled and advocated. Little wonder then that when a report that various contractors had been asked for prices of work in connection with the additions to the hall gained currency in labour circles there was a clamour of indigna^on. At the Sydney Labour Council several delegates spoke very plainly oa the subject,, and among members of various unions the position was keenly I discussed. Commenting on the discussion which took place at the Labour Council a trustee put the matter thus: — "It appears to me as though a disturbance is to be made about nothing. It is absolutely impossible to carry out such a work" entirely by day labour, and that must be manifest to any practical man. There is work such as joinery in the construction of a building like this which must from an economic standpoint be done by a man possessing the necessary machinery. To buy machinery for a few weeks' work would be absurd, and we are not going to do it." The Sydney Chamber of Commerce has been roused into activity by a little Bill recently introduced into the New South Wales Legislative Assembly by Mr. Kelly. The Bill says in its vital clause I — "No trade union registered under the Trade Union Act, JBBI, shall be competent to sue, or be liable to be sued, in any court of law or equity. But nothing heiein shall affect the powers or liabilities conferred or imposed by t'he said Act on the trustees of any such trade union." The President of the Chamber, Mr. J. Barre Johnston, objected to the measure" because it undermined the principles of common law, and practically gave unionists carte blanche to defy the law. While a union of industrial employers would be responsible, and could be recovered against, for breaches and misdemeanours, the unions of employees would be specially protected, and would be absolutely irresponsible and be able to defy the laws of the State at pleasure. At Victoria, British Columbia, a shirt and overall manufacturing firm, after employing non« but Chinese for a considerable period, decided that white labour was preferable, and to-day some scores of girls are working in place of the yellow alien. The girls were organised by the United Garment Workers' Union, and are receiving union wages for an eight-hpur day, and half-hpliday on Saturdays. Tramway men at Naples, Italy, won a strike of eight days' duration for the abolition of the tramway company's rule providing fur the dismissal of employees [without proper reason beinjg given,,