LABOUR NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 38, 13 August 1910, Page 12

LABOUR NOTES.

ITEMS OF INTEREST. (By "Unionist.") In answer to an enquiry: No movement has as yet been made by any organisation in the direction of bringing about a poll on the Saturday half-holi-day issue in the Wellington district. In Auckland, however, a section oi the shopkeepers are already interesting themselves in the matter. A vote on the question was taken in each of the main centres, Wellington excepted, at the last municipal election time. In all instances the Saturday half-holiday proposition was easily outvoted. To secure a vote on tno" issue at next municipal election time, it will be necessary to present before the middle of March, a petition bearing the signatures of at least a tenth of the total number of electors in the combined district. Roughly, about 3500 signatures are needed to make the petition effective. The Trades Council took up the matter on last occasion, but failed to secuTe the requisite number of petitioners. According to Inspector Newton, the award which gives the department most work in the Wellington district is the Cooks and Waiters' Award. There were 155 complaints under the award, and in 18 cases prosecutions followed. Fines amounting to £56 were inflicted, and a sum of over £60 was collected under' the award during the year. Mr. C. E. Aldridge, inspector of factories, in his annual report, has the following to say in connection with the holidays of hotel employees : — "Section 23 of the Act, providing for, a weekly half-holiday for hotel employees, has given satisfaction to the various persons concerned, but so far as night porters are concerned the half-holiday seems rather a farce. These men usually work at 10 p.m. and cease work at 8 a.m., but if "on the day of the half-holiday they start work at 12 midnight, instead of 10 p.m., they receive their half-holi-day so far as compliance with the Act is concerned, although in reality they only get two hours off. These workers, who are required to work every night of tho week, should be allowed something more than a 'half-holiday' of two hours. I think the Act should be amended so that such workers get at least time off equal to other hotel workers." Several of the Opposition dailies in Australia accuse the Federal Labour Government of "backing down" over the question of preference to unionists. As originally introduced, the Amending Arbitration Bill provided that preferonce should be granted in all industrial dispute cases before the Commonwealth Arbitration Court- Opposition members raised the pomt — that the clause as framed was in conflict with the Constitution. After lengthy discussion in the House, tho matter was again considered by the Labour party in caucus. Of course, just what transpired was not made public, but, as a result of the caucus meeting, the Attorney-General, Mr. W. M. Hughes, announced in the House the Government's intention to modify tho clause so as to make the granting of 'preference optional with the Federal Judge instead of mandatory by the Act. As modified, the clause reads : "(1) The court, By its award or by order made on the application of any organisation or person bound by the award, may (a) direct that, as between members of oragnisations of employers or employees, and other persons offering or desiring service or employment at the same time, preference shall, in such manner as is specified in the award or order, be given to such members, other things being equal ; and (bj prescribe a minimum rate of wages or remuneration, in which case the court shall, on tho application of any party to the industrial dispute, or of any organisation or perMon bound by the award, make provision for fixing, in such manner and subject to such conditions as are specified in the award or order a lower rate in the case 'of employees who are unable to earn the minimum wage so prescribed; (2) whenever, in the opinion of the court, it is necessary, for the prevention or settlement of the industrial dispute, or for the maintenance of industrial peace, or for the welfare of society, to direct that preference shall be given to members of organisations as iv paragraph 1 of subsection 1 of this section, provided, the court shall so direct." Mr Hughes, in explanation of the modification, said : "The clause as originally framed appeared to him to be lacking in essential as the power of the court to make an order for prefprence was limited by one set of circumstances, the prescribing of a minimum wage. There had been several cases where relief granted by the court i~d not include a minimum wage, and it was quite conceivable that preference to unionists might be desirable, whether the court was ordering a minimum wage or not. Under the clause, as remodelled, preference may be granted where the court thinks iU, without reference to whether the union uses its funds for political purposes. It was less mandatory in form. It made preference contingent upon other conditions instead of being contingent on granting a minimum wage. The new clause carried out what was the desire of the Government and the House, and it removed some of the objections held against it by hon. members." The Act has now passed its third reading in tne House of Representatives, and is certain to reach the Statute-book. What many Labour members fear is, that the Act, although eased down in many instances out of- regard to the limited powers of the Federal Constitution, may still offer opportunity for the High Court to set aside certain of its provisions. On the question as to the right of the Federal Parliament to control and legislate on all industrial matters, the Labour Government is fully determined. Mr. Fisher and several of his Ministerial colleagues have frequently stated that if, as it now stands, the Constitution is prohibitive of Federal legislation on every phase of industrial life, then the Labour party will see to it that by referendum tho Constitution is altered in conformity with the wishes of a majority of the people. The total trade union membership of the countries mentioned is as follows : — Great Britain, 2,±uo, 1 rl ; Germany, 2,30-^,401; United States. 1,580,000; Italy, 546,850 ; Austria, *0.i,279 ; France, 294,918; Sweden, 219,000; Belgium, 157,058; the Netherlands, 128,845; Denmark, 120,8j0; Switzerland, 113,800; Hungary, 102,054; Norway, 48,157; Spain, 44,912; Finland, 32,000 ; Bulgaria, 12,933; Croatia, 4520; Bosnia, 3997, and Scrvia, 3238. The aggregate membership of these countries is given nt 9,308,157. The Government Statistician of New South Wales has issued a statement as to the manufacturing industries of New South Wales in 1909, in which it is shown that male employees received an average of £l 18s per week, compared witn 14s 4d for each female employed, or on a yearly basis ot £9S 12s 3d and £37 4s 3d respectively. Mr. John Scadden, member for ivanhoe, a goldfields constituency, has been elected leader of tho West Australian Parliamentary Labour party, in succession to Mr. Wni. Bath, who has retired. Air. Bath has been leader for the pa&t aevenfjpr eight years. There are 22 or 23 Labour members in the State House, consisting rf DO members^