LABOUR NOTES. (By Unionist.)

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 57, 4 September 1909, Page 12

LABOUR NOTES. (By Unionist.)

ITEMS OF INTEREST. The twentieth annual meeting of the Wellington Bookbinders' and Paper Rulers' Union was held in the Trades Hall last week. According to the balancesheet submitted there is a sum of £313 6* 9d now in the bank to the credit of the union. The membership of the organisation totals between seventy and eighty. Election of officers for the ensuing year resulted thus : — President, W. Naughton ; secretary, E. Wiffen ; treasurer, S. J. Tatham. Messrs. Naughton and Leydon were appointed to represent the union on the Trades Council. . ' Mr. R. Manning has resigned his position as secretary of the Waikato Miners' Union, but still retains the secretaryship of the New Zealand Miners' Federation. An agreement has been reached bo tween the Dunedin Boxworkers' Union and the employers concerned in connection with the dispute in the industry. The terms aro much as were defined in the old award, except in reference to wages. In the new conditions, it is provided that all girls after four years' service shall be paid a minimum of 25s weekly. This is a slight advance on the rate of pay formerly prevailing. What probably constitutes a record in the Wellington trade union movement has been established by Mr. W. Naughton, president of the local Bookbinders' and Paper Rulers' Union. At the annual meeting of the union last week, Mr. Naughton was again elected president, making the fifteenth consecutive year that he has occupied the position. Mr.' Naughton, in addition, has always taken an active interest in Trades Council affairs, and is a past president of the council. By a unanimous vote it was decided at Wednesday night's meeting of tho local Tailors' Union to give up the present office of the union and to remove to the quarters provided by the Trades Council. It has not yet been definitely decided by the Queensland Labour Party whether or not the half-dozen independent mombers of the out-going Parliament will be opposed by Labour candidates at the forthcoming State elections. An indication _of the feeling of the Labour leagues in tho electorates represented by the Independents is given, however, by the fact that in most of them plebiscites to select the Labour candidate are already in progress. Largely increased wages will be paid to the shop assistants in Brisbane, as a result of the Wages Board award in the industry which comes into operation shortly. It is estimated that the drapers' assistants alono wili benefit to the extent of £6000 per annum. At present the average for a grocer's assistant in Brisbane, of 23 years of age and over, is 38s sd. The award prescribes a minimum of 45s weekly for this class of assistant. Drapers' assistants over 24 years of age earn on tho average at present 44s lOd ; when tho award becomes effective their weekly earnings will be increased to 50s. Interesting figures aro given in a report dealing with the working o£ the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration /Act. The number of trade unions now registered under the Act is 41. Of the unions registered 20 are either federated organisations or societies whose influence extends beyond tho boundaries of a single State. The first dispute under the Act was heard in November, 1906. Since then five out of the twenty extensive unions have obtained awards, and in addition Eeveral contentious cases against registration, and a few other citations of minor importance have been dealt with by the Federal (Arbitration Court. The total cost to employers and workers in contesting the cases already dealt with under the Act is computed to amount to £29,000. The Federal and State Governments have also spent about £7500 through intervention where constitutional questions have been raised. In all, it is estimated that nearly £37,000 has been expended on arbitration proceedings during the three years that have elapsed since the inception of tho Act. The report mentions that tho Broken 'Hill strike alone cost ovcr£3oo,ooo, and draws a favourable comparison <>f the working of the Act as ; against the old method. There has always been a difference of opinion in Australian Labour circles as to the propriety of State Labour members submitting themselves as candidates for Federal Parliamentary honours. In the various preliminary Labour selection ballots that are now proceeding in Australia, several of the Slate Labourites are .going to the poll, and the wholo, question is again being discussed in tho Labour journals. The triennial conference of the Commonwealth Labour parly, by 21 votes to 10, carried the following resolution on the subject: — "That since it is desirable that candidates for membership of the Australian Parliament, should be persons whose qualifications are well known to the electors they seek to represent, the members of the Australian Labour party should endeavour to secure, the repeal of those restrictions which render members ot State Parliaments ineligible as candidates fot the Australian Legislature." Throughout the Commonwealth the Labour party is engaged in preliminary ballots for the selection of candidates for the next Federal elections. Several of the State members have already been chosen to stand for Federal electorates. Organisation on behalf of Labour is being actively proceeded with. In the next elections for members of the Lower iioast U.e Labour party expect to secure at least 35 seals, as against 27 members in tns existing Parliament. Labour's hardest task is set in the Senatte contests. At present there are 15 Labour Senators in a House of 31. Ten o£ these face the electors again, in the forthcoming campaign. Last Senate elections were disastrous to Labour; only five Labour nominees were returned. It is not anticipated that the March contests will result in increased Labour representation in the Senats. The state of parties- in the South Aui*tralian House of Assembly is Labour 20, combined Ministerialists 21. The present is the last passion of this Parliament, and the (lovernment is pndeavouring to carry on till recess time, in view of the approaching general elections. Both the Federal and State elections will be held about March next. Mpantimo the Labour Party in the State is busily preparing for both contents. The sixth annual conference of the State Labour Party opens in Adelaide on 15th September. A member of the Labour Party in th New South Wales Parliament has given notice of the following motions : "That the time j had arrived for the Government to prohibit by law any person from being called upon to work seven days per week, and that in view of the higjh cost of living, the minimum wage paid to able-bodisd Government servants should bo 8s par day."