LABOUR NOTES. (By Unionist.)

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 122, 21 November 1908, Page 12

LABOUR NOTES. (By Unionist.)

INCREASING LABOUR VOTE. ! Though no Independent Labour candidate was successful at Tuesday's polling, the several returns show a largely increased Labour vote above the figures for the previous general election. In 1905 ten Labour candidates faced the electors, and all- but two lost their deposits. The total votes cast for them on that occasion amounted to 3838, and of that number Messrs. Thorn and M'Laren scored 1107 and 763 respectively. This election saw nineteen Labour and Socialist candidates in the field. ' With the exception of Mr. D. M'Laren, all were beaten in the first ballot. But the Labour vote shows a big increase in the aggregate. Among them the nineteen Labour men poJled 21,645 rotes, an advance of 17,807 votes in the three years. The highest individual poll was secured by Mr. R. Douglas, who received 2349 votes in Caversham. The Labour vote in, the Dunedin district was higher than in any other part. Wellington Labourites are especially pleased with Mr. Munro's figures in opposition to Mr. Millar. They consider it an effective protest against the Minister for Labour's attitude in connection witb Labour legislation. It was expected that Messrs. Young and Chapman would have reached four figures, but the clashing with the Socialist candidates, Mr. Moore and Mr. Hogg, told against the expectations of the L.R.C. Mr. M'Laren.' s present position was confidently anticipated. In union circles now the question 'is being asked whether the second ballot will prove that the Liberal vote is sympathetic with the aspirations of Labour. On all sides the lack of organisation m the ranks of Labour is greatly deplored. Each of the local Labour candidates practically fought his own campaign It is contended that the voting shows a fine appreciation of the efforts of Independent Labour, and proper organisation on the lines of the Australian La. 'bour party is urged in preparation for next election. That unionists generally have taken heart over the results of Tuesday's poll ing, and that Independent Labour will make a bolder bid in three years' time, is recognised everywhere, and there is talk of certain gentlemen in high places shouldering the banner in 1911. In the meantime the hopes of Labour are centred on Wellington East. The subscriptions received by the Labour Representation Committee towards the expenses of the election, campaign total £85 3s lOd. No mention is made in the cables as, to the number of votes polled by" Eugene Debs, Socialist candidate for the Presidency of the United States. This is regarded as a good omen by workers here. It is inferred that the poll for Debs must have been well up to anticipations, or otherwise the cable would have remarked on the subject. Another factor that raises the hope of supporters is the smailness of the Republican vote, and Mr. Taft's majority over Mr. Bryan despite that smailness. The remaining rotes must have gone somewhere, and it is surmised that a large percentage went to Mr. Debs. Jack London in "The Iron Heel" predicted a vote of over 1,150,000 for Socialism in the recent election, while Mr. Keir Hardie hoped for two millions. When the mail arrives it will be interesting to compare these forecasts with the actual returns. Agricultural labouiers are organised into trade unions in seven of the countries of Europe. Italy has the biggest union memoership of such workers. At the end of 1906, 71,629 agricultural labourers belonged to the respective unions for that industry. Hungary, with a union membership of 24,000, appears to be the next best organised country in this respect. Like unions also exist in Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Spain, and the Netherlands. The demand, for a legislative weekly day of rest is growing apace in America. A confei^nce of delegates from trade unions, and from Sunday rest associations, is to be held in Pittsburg on Ist December next. The object of the conference is to place before Congress the facts relating to similar legislation in other countries, and to urge the inception of a law guaranteeing to every worker in the United States at least one day's cessation from work in seven. Tha first issue of the Barrier Daily Truth contains a page of greetings from representative Labour men of all countries. The only New Zealand message and greeting was one from Mr. E. Tregear, of Wellington. Out of a total of 664 legislators 'fl the States and Commonwealtn. Parliaments, Labour can. count upon 171. In New South Wales, Labour has 32 members in a House of 90, and +our councillors in the Legislative Council of 56. In the Victorian Assembly there is a total of 65 representatives, 15 of whom are Labour men. In the Council, Labour has only two representatives. Queensland has a Labour party 22 strong in a House of 72 members, and there are two Labour men in the Upper House of 43 members. In South Australia, Labour with 19 representatives in a House of 42 is the party in power. In the South Australian Council, there are but three Labour men. West Australia counts on 22 Labour men in the Assembly, and one in the Council. In Tasmania only seven members vote Labour. The Federal Senate is largely compooea of Labour representatives. There are 15 out of a total of 36. In the House of Representatives, Mr. Fisher, the Labour premier, can depend on a pledged following of 27 members,.

Sparrows, parrots, and other birds are visiting the "Yarrawonga district of Victoria (Australia) in great numbers. Recently a farmer hit upon a novel idea for ridding his cultivation paddocks of cockatoos He captured several of the> birds, and painted them red, green, black, and brown. Then he iibeiatec 1 them in a field on which a mob of white cockatoos had alighted. The appearance <)i the strangely coloured birds frightened the others, who flew away screeching. The experiment proved eatistacvory. Referring to the fact, as cublished by Mr. Collingridge, that the sum of only £3 has been collected of the £2500 needed to restore the Cowper and Newton Museum as a memorial to Cowper, the Saturday Review says : — Mr. Collingridge asks whether we have all forgotten Cowper therefore. The answer is we have not forgotten Cowper, but we are all growing tired of these memorials and celebrations and the like. The thing is being simply done to death. Soon there will be nobody loft, and no event left to celebrate, and then we shall be expected, perhaps, to celebrate the last celebrations. Cowper is best celebrated by the reading of Cowper— at least of ■such noble poems as those on the ''Royal George," "My Mary," and a few others. And they are read by those who know and care for the beat things in literature. That in better than the museum.