LINES ABOUT LABOUR.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 136, 5 December 1903, Page 12

LINES ABOUT LABOUR.

Mr. J. B. Gunning, writing to the Sydney Morning Herald in rofeicnco to the demands of tho Shop Assistants' Union, states that a correspondent who said there was no sweating in the trade wns in error. Many pei-MHis in respoimiblo positions, ho a«ertH, nre receiving Very low wages. Although the shop assistant gets paid on wet days he still has to work. Tho bricklayer, who knocks off and loses his pay, can go home to his family and do some work thoro. Tho average wage of shop assistants, according to Mr. CoghInn. in 1902, was — drapers £2 12s 6d and ironmongers £3 per week. As many married men are only getting £1 and £1 5s per week, a few favoured individuals must be getting considerably more than they are worth. The Sydney Grooms and Coachmen's Unjon has adopted a schedule of working conditions and has decided to request the employers to send representative^ to meet in conference with delegates from the union for the purpose of discussing the claims. Tho schedule of conditions provides for a week of sixty hours for nil grooms, coachmen and yardmen, exclusivo of Sunday work. The minimum rate of piiy for drivers of two horsos is fixed at £2 6s per week ; one horse, £2 2s ; with board and lodgings, £1 12s 6d and £1 7s 6d per week Respectively. Rates for grooms and yardmen, £2 2s per week; with board and lodging, 30s per woek. Rates for casual labour, coachmen, 10s per day ; grooms and yardmen, 8s per day of ten hours. One shilling per hour to bo paid for overtime. Sunday and holiday rates, 2s per hour. Mr. J. W. Mollor has commenced an action against the Victorian Railway Commissioners, arising out of the railway strike. The plaintiff is an ongine-driver, and claims £100 wages as such from 9th May. 1903, to 7th Octbber, 1903, being the lull (treble) rate of pay due for "continuous employment," after deducting the amount ot \\ ages received during that period, and also £500 as damages for wrongful suspension nn engine-driver, «nrt j a declaration that he vraa improperly and unlawfully classified as a striker by tho defendants, and deprived of compensation or retiring allowance. Mellor is at present in the employ of the defendants nb nn engine-driver, but at v rate of wage less than that paid to him before 9th May. The case will be heard in Melbourno by a Judge' without a jury. The limitation ot th«s number of appren* Uces by trades uuions is referred to in iv report of the Sydney iron trade conference. Tho employers urged that this question should oe left to individual employers in the trade, who would arrange for the number thov could accommodateTo this proposal the ironmongers' delegate strongly dissented. In the interest* of tho State, it waa necessary to have tradesmen who could hold their own with tradesmen in Europe and elsewhere, and efflcioncy could onlj bo secured by limit* ing the number and ensuring proper inotruction. This vlow elicited from otio of the employers tho propheoy that in a very few yoars th« journeyman ironmoulder would be extinct. Owing to the existing depression in tho iron trade of New South Wales, a conference between representatives of the Employers' Federation and the employees has boon held with the vie sv of coining to some undeistunding as to the causes of lack of ardors. It wns felt that the working lelation* existing between the employers nnd tho mon would allow of somo readjustment of conditions, which without injuring the employees would permit of the employers eecuring work now going from the State, nnd also pluuo them in a better position to compete with the direct importer. The general belief of the employers appeared to be that a reduction of 10 per cent, in wages would enable them to hold their own. The conference adjourned without arriving at a decision. The Now South Wales Arbitration Court has givon it* reserved judgment in the cane of th« Hotel, Club, Rodttiurant, and Caterers' Employees' Union, the evidonee in which was heard at great length some months ngo, Mr. Justice Cohen confessed that the Court had great difficulty in arriving at a decision, hud had not dealt with clubs, boardinghouses, and tearooms iv which restaurant business was carried on. Tho hours of cooks nnd pantrymen were fixed at 70 to 77 hours a week of seven days, a reduction of five Hours boing made whore the work was confided to tax days. In establishments where three- cookn tferb employed the wages are : Chef, 465 ; second cook, 30s ; third cook, 25s j pantrymen and other hands, 20s ; where two cooks . are employed, second cook 255, nnd where only two hands are employed ; Utief, 355 ; other, 20a. If board and lodging is not provided 10s a week will bo nlhxnred for board nud 5* for lodging. Preference of employment is to be given to unionists who are of sober habits and good repute. Tho award applies to the s metropolitan area only. Senator Stewart (Q.), secretary to the Labour party in the Senate, is reported by the Brisbane Courier to have made the following remarks in reply to questions which were «sked him when he was addressing a meeting in that city tin Wednesday night : "As to having sat down on ouo occasion when the National Anthem was being sung, he explained that the incident to«k place at Cawarrel, near North Rockhnmpton, during tho time when the war feeling was very strong. He spoke for nearly two hours, and during tlie course of his remarks some men in the audienoo «tarad the National Anthem, and he took advantage of the interval to sit down and rest. He pleaded guilty to being a republican. He did not believe in hereditary monarchs any more than he did in hereditary mayors or hereditary members of Parliament." Tho report of the New South Wales Labour Commissioners, which Whs presented to the State Parliament tho other day, states that industrially the year has beon a bad one, especially for unskilled labourers, a condition attributed by tho Commissioners largely to the drought. Another fnqtor in tho depression of the lttbour market wne the sudden return of some thousands of soldiers from South Africa. Wages generally during tho year had been increased rather than decreased. Evtry conceivable nrtifice had been used to obtain free rations Without work. Most heartrending stories had been told, many of which on investigation had been found to bo wholly false or grossly exaggerated. Deliberate fraud had also been encountered. The great majority, however, had been cases of real hardship nnd poverty. A noticeable nnd disquieting feature had been the large number of young single and quite able-bodied men who had endeavoured to live on Government charity. Many of them attended the office nominally in th« hop* ol procuring work, but in reality persistently hung back until they hnd ascertained that nil nvnilable wofk had been given out. Then tney camo forward, loudly asking for work, and demanding food when told that there wfts no work. The number registered lost year was less than during any year since the fouhdation of tho Government Labour Buroau. One of tho largest iron-working plants in New York, employing over 2000 men, has been closed indefinitely, on account of labour troubles. The manager Bays they have been so pestered with strikes and impossible union demands that they cannot stand it any longer. That the unions h'we been carrying matters with a high hand is hardly to do doubted, in view of all that is now known, and the natural consequences are beginning to follow.' They will fall more heavily upon labour . than uson the other party in industry..