LABOUR'S FIGHT FOR POWER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 147, 22 June 1906, Page 6

LABOUR'S FIGHT FOR POWER.

m ONLY 2,000,000 TRADE UNIONISTS The Trade Disputes Bill brings once more to the front the important question of the interests of the trade unions, and the moment is therefore opportune for taking stock of the great and grow r ing influence of these unions and for estimating their position in the industrial progiess of the country. There are over 10,000,000 males in England who may be placed in what is commonly called the industrial classes. In agriculture there are over 1,000,000 employed; in building and similar work there are another 1,000,000; engaged in manufacturing food and drink there are 750,000; and in mining coal and other minerals, in engineering works of different kinds, and in general labour there are nearly 2,000,000 more occupied. Other trades account for the rest. Yet out of this total of 10,000,000 there are not 2,000,000 who have joined the trade unions. At the present moment the total is about 1,900,000, and during the last three years, for which we have a reliable record, the number has steadily declined by come 75,000 members. This means that as a whofe the male industrial class v still unorganised, and that the trade unions only represent a minority of the working men. But if this is true of the working man, still morje true is it of the working woman. As a class, this naturally weaker type of worker is still hopelessly unorganised. For oat of the 4,000,000 women (scarcely 1,000,000 of whom are married) not more than 125,000 have seen fit to enrol themselves undei the tiade union banner. — Daily Express.

No advice of the Rotomahana having arrived at Lyttelton had been received up to 3 p.m. The vessel left Wellington at 8.15 last night,, with a large number of excursionists on board. A young man named Joseph Daly fell off the roof of a building in the Wellington Gas Company's yard this afternoon, and injured his spine rather badly. He waa removed to the Hospital.

The man Cameron, who escaped from the Lambton-quay Police Station on Wednesday whilst under arrest for a charge of false pretences at Blenheim, has not yet been recaptured. A passenger by a Government train this afternoon reported to the police that a horse attached to a vehicle shied on the Hutt-road, near the Manawatu bridge, at the train, and collided with a butcher's cart, causing a woman and child to be thrown on tho roadway. The child, the informant stated, appeared -to fall under the horse's feet. A mounted constable was immediately despatched to the scene of the accident to render any assistance that might be necessary and enquire into the case. The demolition of the old observatory at the top of the Sydney-street cemetery was not allowed to interfere with the continuation of meteorological observations. The Government's expert; the Rev. D. C. Bates, installed instruments in a. temporary observatory on a commanding site, beneath the Alexandra Barracks, on the flank of Mount Cook, at about the same altitude as the position of the former station. Simultaneous records were obtained on three days at the two places, the old and the new, and it was found that the air temperatures were about the same, but, on account of the difference in soil, the terrestrial radiation was generally lower on the new ground. The wind records there, said Mr. Bates to-day, would be a better index to the movements of the air, as the exposure of the anemometer would not be affected by trees and hills to the same extent a& it waa on the old site. The question of selecting another permanent stand was not yet settled. Mr. Frank T. Bullen, the author-lec-turer, who is on a lecturing tour through Ne'je Zealand, arrived from Gisborne today by the Victoria, and went on to 'Nelson. "Closed on account of overwork!" So runs the legend in a florist's shop in town to-day. For days past the florists had been working day and night, and this outward confession of weariness is hardly more than might have been expected under the circumstances. The term for which Mr. Henry Gourley, of Dunedin, and Mr. F. H. Fraser, of Wellington, were appointed members of the Legislative Council expired yesterday. . The first of the series of lectures ar- | ranged by the City Council for the winter session will be delivered in tho Concert Room of the Town Hall on Tuesday by the Rev. Dr. Tudor Jones. Mr. E. A. Eva, traffic manager' of the local office of the Union Company. who is being transferred to Melbourne, will leave for Auckland, via New Plymouth, by to-morrow morning's train. | Mr. A. Hamilton, Director of the J Colonial Museum, has gone to Christchurch for a few days. He Is expected back on Tnwday. At the annual meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society a motion was carried that the use of formbait for trout-fishing be prohibited in certain streams under the association's jurisdiction. This resolution hau evoked keen opposition from a section <-f tho society's members, and a special general meeting of the society has been convened for an evoning in next week to consider the present situation. The warship Pioneer sailed for Auckland this morning. Signor Bragato, tihe Government Viticulturist, and Mr. J. C. Clifton, Chief Inspector of Stock for the Auckland district, are at present in Wellington. . Sales are reported tio-day as follows by the Wellington Stock Exchange: — Hydraulic Hand-Milker, Ltd., £8 and £8 ss; Sharland's, £1 2s ; Ward and Co., Ltd., £5 14s; Moturoa Petroleum, £60. The Wellington Choral Society will not hold its usual weekly practice tiiis week, but practices will be resumed next Friday, 29th inst. Amongst the visitors to Wellington aro Mr. and Mrs. Newton King, of New Plymouth. A minstrel and variety entertainment will be given ia Kilbirnie Hall next Monday evening. A gentleman in a position to speaK with authority about political feeling on the West Coast stated to a Post reporter to-day that if Mr. T. Y. Seddon decides to stand for the seat Tendered vacant by his father's death there will be "no one else in it." Failing either of the laife Premier's sons' candidature, Mr. Michel will, he eaid, be by far and away the strongest! man offering Further conversation with West Coasters in Wei- j lington on the subject shows that there is a division of opinion on the subject. On the one hand there is the section which is so wedded to the name of Seddon 'that it thinks the West Coast will not have a complete political existence unless it is represented by some member ot the family, and is prepared Vo pin its political faith to whichever member of the family is nominated. On the other hand, there is a. portion of the community , which looks ab the question from tho more moderate point of view. Its position is that all along, during the past thirteen years at any rate, Mr. Michel has been regarded as possessing a reversionary interest in the seat in the event of anything happening to Mr. Seddon That party will resent any attempt to force upon the constituency any one who ia nod closely identified with it as Mr. Michel has been for very many years. The question was discussed at' a gathering of the members of the late Mr. Seddon's family this morning, but no decision was arrived at as to whether Cap* tain Seddon or Mr. T. Y. Seddon should contest the seat. That decision will be come to very soon, but whichever is selected it may be taken for granted that Mr .Michel will go to the poll against him. - It may be added that Mr. Michel has been Mayor of Hokihka for the past nine years, that he has been identified with public life there for many years longer, and West Coasters in ttown who are not swayed' by political leanings predict an interesting contest. Messrs. Levien, Shallcrass and Co. announce a sale of unredeemed pledges for to-morrow afternoon. There aro numerous lines to be disposed of, inoluding watches, chains, rings, bangles, clothing, bicycles, clocks, otc. The firm will hold a sale of meat in tho morning. Messrs. R. Hannah and Co. advertise special values in women's wiater boots in button and lace Mr. Joh. E. Lindberg, "the Cheap Draper," Cuba-street, announces special prices for his' salo to-morrow. The proprietor of Oakos's Shoe Store, Cuba-street, invites boot-buyers to purchaeo to-morrow. At their rooms, Manners-street, tomorrow, commencing at 1.30, Messrs. Sidey, Moech and Co. will hold % salt of nousohold furniture, personal effects, rare coins, ostrioh feathors, etc., by order of tho Public Trustee. Messrs. Macdonald, Wilson and Co. insert details of tho salo of household furniture, etc., to be hold at the rcsidonco, No. 1, Horner-stroet. Newtown, on Monday next, at 1.30 o'clock, undor instructions from tho oxocutors in the cstato of the late Mr. R. M'Donald. Tlio firm also announce tbo salo, on Tuesday next, at No. 30, Murphy-rtroet, of tho whole of tho household furniture, contents of loven room.