LINES ABOUT LABOUR.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 150, 25 June 1904, Page 12

LINES ABOUT LABOUR.

— An old friend and former Timaruvian in America has po&ted to the Tiiniuu Herald a copy of a. New Orleans paper, the Timep-Demucrat of Bth April, with a marked artido on "The Collapse of Organised Labour in England." The article is based upon an address given by a person najiied Kirby, of Dayton, Ohio, to tho National Metal Trades' Association Convention at Philadelphia. Mr. Kirby's purpose was to urge upon his fellow-employers thu necessity for organisation to oppose the labour unions of America, and ho sought to encourage them lo do this by describing crises in the recent history of labour unions in England and Australasia. He described how tho great engineering strike of 1897 brought the shipbuilding firms to their senses, and the famous Taff Vale decision supplied another illustration of the defeat of organised hiboui. Then Mr. Kirby turned to Australia and New Zealand for the final prop of his arguments ; .and tho picture he drew of " Labour-ridden " New Zealand was calculated to scare his hearers into doing something with promptness and vigour. But this was not nearly ko bad ns his description of the condition of Australia, in which he attributed the looses caused b.v the lato drought to the unsuccessful and mischievous activities of lnhour unions. We hope that the infoi mation wo receive in New Zcalnnd regarding industrial conditions in America are moro trustworthy than that which reached — or was manufactured by —Mr. Kirby, of Dayton, Ohio. A telegram received in Brisbane states that Siome men selected from amongst the unemployed at Rockhampton for employment in clearing land are dissatisfied, and contend that they are sweated. The State Treasurer stales that on the face of it thero must be some explanation, and he was inclined to think that a, garbled statement had been telegraphed. The Government, ho said, did not fix the wages. That was dono by 1111 oveiseer, and the niqn were paid according lo results. He understood that tho selection was made on the ground of tho most necessitous cises, and it did not follow, therefore, that they were tho most able to do the work. Ho had nothing to say except that general instructions to the overseer were to pay such a, rate of wages as was paid for such work in tho district. The executive of the Employers' Federation (says the Melbourne Age) has expressed its approval of the sUnd taken by the Chief Justice of New South Wales against the operation of tho Slate Compulsory Arbitration law, and a committee was appointed to consider tho question of printing the recent judgment of tho Full Court, as delivered by Sir Frederick Darlcy, in the matter of the Urickmakers and Pipe Manufacturers' Union. The executive thought that if the judgment were printed and distributed broadcast throughout Australia it would have an excellent effect, especially in view of tho fact that a similar law to apply to tho Commonwealth is now being pushed through the Federal Parliament. Tho Sydney Boot Operators and Rough Stuff Cutters' Union has adopted a new statement of rates ox wages and hours, and conditions of labour. This will be submitted to the manufacturers' association for consideration. It is provided that forty-eight hours shall constitute a week's work. The lowest rate of wages to be paid to adult males is fixed at 8s 4d per day of eight hours for machine operators, rough stuff cutters, and finishers. Tho wages of apprentices or improvers are sot down at 5s per week for the first year, 7s 6d for the second, 10s for the third, 15s for the fourth year, and thereafter £2 por week until the ago of twenty-one is attained. Some warm interchanges havo rjfcently taken placo between Sir Alexander Peacock nnd tho representatives of the Victorian Labour Party over the attitude of •the former upon tho Factories nnd Shops Act. With a view of showing that the labour organisations aro not universal m their condemnation, tho following letter, written on behalf of the amalgamated brewers and maltsters' employees to Sir Alexander, has been put into circulntion:— "Sir,— l have been instructed by my society to thank you for the action you took on their behalf nt the factory Act conference between tho two Houses, and to add that they feel that, without; your valuable assistance, they would havo lost tho protection of the V) ago Board,. which you gave them at the nsK of your own popularity as soon ns you wero satisfied that the facts were such as justified your action. They further feel that they can in future trust the lather of the Factory Act' above all others to keep secure for tho workers of the eolonj the benefits which they have justly reaped from this measure.—(bigned) G. Luke Prendergast, Secretary." to a leading article in the Melbourne Argus pointing out thab in bargaining to hold office the Labour party was falsifying, its professions of political purity and disinterestedness, tho Prime Minister said: — "I. do not see that there is any lack of political purity in either proposing or agreeing to an alliance with those who are in harmony with our programme. That seems to me to bo consistent with the highest degree of political probity. Tho Argus -affects to believe that it is a sign of degeneration in us to openly seek an nlliiiuce. Then it also says thnt our action has demonstrated thnt our high professions of piinciplo are a .pretence and hypocrisy. If these terms can bo applied to us because wo seek an alliance that does not affect our principles, &urely they can be applied also, and with greater force, to those mombers who are urging a coalition between members who are hopelessly opposed, so far as their public profession!* of policy go, in regard to the measures set out in the proposed programme. Several members ov tho Opposition side of the House have said that they could not agree to some of the things lo which Mr. Reid has Subscribed in that platform. We do not nsk any member to ally himself with us who 'does not npprovo of our programme." At a meeting of the Victorian Labour party in tho Legislative Assembly, Mr. G. Prendergast was elected lender, vice. Mr. Bromley, who is in b:ul health. It was decided after a long debate that the Labour party should sit iv direct Opposition. A meeting under the auspices of the Anti-Chinese nnd Asiatic League was held in S\d>ey recently. Mr. T. Beeby occupied tho chair, and explained tluit tho league had undertaken to arouse interest in the movement. It was impossible, ho said, for white men -to compete with Chinese aud Asiatics as tradesmen. In the interests of the rising generation, Australia should take a determined stand to grapple with the great evil of alien competition. Miss Selina Anderson said it was a crying shame that people who onrncd money from while people should spend it will* Chinese storekeepers. From an industrial point of view tho Chinese were a menace to the white workers, becauso they worked for a much lower wage ; and they were also a danger to tho health of the white community. They evaded our laws and did not recognise any of tho principles which bound our business people in competition. A number of illustrations of malpractices in business by Chinese were given. It was tho duty o' the people to preseivo tho type of the Pi-ii-'sh rnt»«> oit»i those undesirable alionv siat.uVi Le "w»-Judod from particination iv our eucia! rights and franchise.