LINES ABOUT LABOUR,

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 18, 20 July 1907, Page 12

LINES ABOUT LABOUR,

The severity of the weather on the Main Trunk Line L> being keenly felt by the co-operative men. A correspondent of the Egmont Settler states that no sooner is an opening made through the ico than it is frozen up again. The ico being several inchee in thickness, hammers and axes are brought into requisition to break through it. Tha various railway cuttings present a most unusual sight where the sun's rays never penetrate. Iciclec four and even five feet in length are of common occurrence during frosty weather. Tho dockers of Rotterdam (says Lloyds Weekly) have gone but on "strike owing to a dispute over the uso of hydraulic grain elevators. The masters held n, conference with a view to engaging outside men to replace those men who had struck. The hall was guarded by police, mounted and on foot, and by soldiers, of the Marine Infantry. After the meeting tho employers had to be escorted by the police, v.'ho were obliged to charge the crowd which surged round hurling stones. Two of the masters -were, at their own request, left to make their way alone. They were, however, immediately set upon by a number of dockers and injured so severely about the h«ad with stones that they had to be taken to tho hospital. Tho Wairarapa Times thus, describes the sort of employer required to satisfy tho unions: — The employer, the ideal emplfcyer, who is fit to manage a business which will yield a fair profit to himself, after paying maximum wages to his employees-, must possess at least ten qualifications. First of all he must be middle-aged, for to be either too young or too old is an obvious handicap. Secondly, he must possess a business instinct, for without this hi 3 labour is in vain. Thirdly, ho must have the advantage of an expert training, or he is disqualified in his particular trade. Fourthly,' tact ia requisite, for without this quality the best employer makes enemies. Fifthly, good health is essential, other-wise he cannot give his work due attention. Sixthly, energy, and a good deal of it; is needed for a highwage business. Seventhly, industry, unremitting industry, is demanded to surmount all difficulties. Eightly, patience is indispensable. The ninth place wo assign to intelligence, and the tenth to- that unconsidered tritlo "capital." The coal-lumpers' strike (says_ the Sydney Herald of the 3rd inst.) is believed to be about to end, but the | strikers do not appear to be inclined to stop molest ing the free labourers. Something approaching a riot occurred at Miller's Point to-night, and a free labourer named Kingston was badly injured. Kingston is not yet eighteen years of age, and was engaged in coaling the steamer Persic at Dalgety's wharf. He left the wharf last night in order to buy a newspaper, and no sooner was ho outride tho galec than he was set upon by\a number of men, who stationed on tho cliff near by, began to throw stones at him. Ho was hit several times. A crowd began to gather in tho neighbourhood, and the police had eomc difficulty in rescuing Kingston from tho mob, composed of men, women, and children. Tliera were only two or three constables pres?nt, and, having got hold of the i injured man, from whose head and faco blood was streaming, they had to fight their way through the crowd to the | nearest police station. The report adds that the trnm was stonsd on the way to tho hospital, the injured man and one of the police being struck. Whilo tho patients' wounds w-ere being dressed a mob waitsd outside the hospital to ronow tho attack, but - they waited in vain, as Kingston was removed by a door leading into the Domain. Another case .arising out- of tho coal lumpers' strike wa3 concluded at the j Central Police Court, Sydney on the 4th inst. Giovanni Embronone, William Barker, Edward Olsen, Terence O'Brien, and Alfred Moore were charged with having, nt Glebe, on the 13th June, prevented Michael Dqran from working -at "his lawful occupation. Tho prosecution was in connection with the disturbance by a large body of unionists when 'ho free labourers were engaged in coaling a vessel at Blackwattle Bay. Stones were thrown and revolvers discharged. Th 3 charges against Barker and O'Brien were dismissed. Each of the other threo accused was fined £10, or two months' imprisonment.

It is unfortunate (says the Sydney Telegraph) when a man's trade is pronounced to be unhealthy that his tppearance suggests very much the cci.trary. There is an absence of one important element, of that "corroborativo detail," etc., which Mr. Gilbert so wittily emphasised as being necessary to support the picturesque narrative c.f Poon Bah in explanation of the disappearance of the son and heir of the Mikado of - comic opera fame. v When the case of the shearers wna presented in the Arbitration Court, the unhealthy nature of the calling w.ns commented on as a point for the consideration of the court in the framing of its award on ai> equitable basis. Curiously enough, the witnesses so far called on behalf of tho claimant union havo had the outward appearance of being men of robust constitution, whose nomadic life had thoroughly agreed with them. An unusually vigorous specimen of a shearer took the witness stand the other day. "Upon my word," observed Mr. Roid, counsel for the claimants, "I shall really have to drop the unhealthy character of the employment." It certainly looks like it. remarked Mr. Justice O'Connor, when the laughter had subsided : "They tseem to be getting healthier and healthier as we go on. Some thousands of labourers engaged in the huge granaries of the breweries and malt houses df Burton-on-Trent are greatly perturbed at the completion of a new labour-saving sacking machine. This, it is alleged, will enable the employers to dispense with adult labour in neaping and_ bagging the dry barley, and effect a saving of sixty per cent, in the wages bill The inventor is Mr. Francis Griffiths, foreman malster to Allsops, Limited, and it is likely to be universally adopted by brewers, maltsters, and millers. Three boys, it is expected will do with the machino the work of eight men. When it is remembered that ono firm in the town is supposed to pay £700 weekly in wages for malting, much of which consists of this particular work, tho revolutionary effects of the invention will bo readily understood. As compared with every other industry in the country, tho liquor trade (as may be readily ascertained from official returns) has always been the least labour-pro-ducing, and if only the. general workers would do their snare by placing their money into productive channels tho evil of unemployment would bo almost infinitesimal. Tho "premier industry" socalled, is scarcoly an industry, from v, labour point of view, but a huge profitmaking ontcrprke.

1 The Guardian reports that the gorse blight has reappeared in Ashburton County, and in the Winchmere, Lyndlnirst, and Lauriston districts fences aro ' withering away. ' ■■iiHfMHiMtiiiiiiiviiiMmMiifiiutuimiutuiiiiiiiiitiiiiij I Is Most Annoying. | i A cold this season is most annoying, ■ and should not be neglected. Chamberi lain's Cough Hemedy will icliovo tho i lungs, effect a quick euro, and leave i the system in a healthy condition. It always cures, and cures quickly*