LABOUR NOTES (By "Unionist.")

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1914, Page 12

LABOUR NOTES (By "Unionist.")

LAND REFORM. BRITISH LABOUR POLICY. Under the title, "The Labour Party and the Agricultural Problem," the final report and recommendations of the seven British members of Parliament constituting the LaHd Enquiry Commission of the Labour Party have been issued. The "Reeommpndations," which will form the land policy of the party, are of the highest importance. In summary form they are. — (1) Only public ownership and control will secure for the community the best possible use ot land and the social values which attach to it. (2) Only as the public assume the proprietorship of land will the fullest advantage be gained from the point of view of public utility and revenue. (3) It is essential to the development of rational resources and to the general wellbeing that the nation embark on a deliberate and insistent policy of bringing land into social possession. (4) Both central and local authorities should be invested with the widest possible powers of bringing land into public ownership by purchase on the basis of the National Land Valuation. (5) Occupying tenancies are preferable to ownership. Purchase, whether Stateaided or otherwise, locks up capital vihich might be devoted to the acquirement of implements and stock and the general improvement of land. - (6) The system of agricultural colleges and experimental farms should be extended. The former should be freely open to prospective and actual iand-hoiders and farm-workers likely to profit by the courses there provided. LINE OF IMMEDIATE ACTION. Supplementary to these are certain definite and_ immediately practicable proposals contained in the interim and preliminary reports. These, which givo some guidance as to the probable future Parliamentary action of the party, include : — (1) The establishment of Fair Rent Courts. (2) The provision by public authorities of suitable and well-appointed houses, with a plot of cultivable land attached thereto. (3) The setting up of Credit Banks under State authority from which State tenants could raise loans to be applied to the purposes of land equipment and cultivation. (4) The fostering- of co-operative methods by both State and local bodies. (5) A minimum wage for agricultural labourers. The last of these is further supplemented by the reprint of the Labour Party's Bill for the Minimum Wage for Agricultural Labourers which was introduced in the House of Commons last session. The Act provides for the setting up of "county boards" in every area, consisting of representatives of workers and employers, whose duty it would be to fix the minimum rate of wage and maximum number of hours to be worked in their district. This proposal has now been adopted as part of th» Liberal land policy. LABOUR IN SOUTH AFRICA. Labour in politics has started to make headway in South Africa. It is expected that at the elections for the Union Parliament, tentatively fixed for this year, but most likely to eventuate early in 1915, at least '14 Labour seats will be won. Tha policy of the Labour Party was last revised at a congress in Johannesburg in 1911. The maan planks of the plutiorm then agreed on are as follow:— 1. The solidarity of Labour. 2. An eight-hum day, and no Sunday labour. 6. No imported contract labour. 4. A minimum wage, irrespective of sex or colour, $0 be fixed by wages boards. 5. A Factory Act to provide for — ya>) Inspection .of machinery ; (b) regulation of child labour ; (c) invalidity insurance and old age pensions ; (d) a law of contracts to include a fair-wago clause, 6. Right of combination for Government employees. 7. Government control of mine sick and benefit funds. 8. The right to work. 9. Land settlements, but no freeholds. 10.^ Abolition of indirect taxation. 11. Land-value taxation and death duties. 12. State ownership of mines. 13. A State ' Bank. 14. No alienation of Crown Lands. 15. Free education, including main- j tenance and medical attendance up. to 16 years of age. 16. Thfa right to mino and prospect on private property, and the abolition of the trapping system. LABOUR IN AUSTRALIA. Mr. Andrew Fisher, Leader of the Federal Labour Party, opened his pre-ses-sional campaign in Melbourne on 17th March last. He had a large and enthusiastic audience. How nearly divided are the two great political parties in Australia was illustrated by Mr. Fisher at the commencement of hii speech. He saidi— Prior to the general election there were in the " House of Representatives 32 Fusion members, 41 Labour members, and two Independents. There were in the Senate 14 Fusion members and 22 Labour members. After the general election there were in the House of Representatives 38 Fusion members and 37 Labour members. The actual voting applied to the two great parties now in Federal politics, and allowing for "walk-overs," was:— House of Representatives: Fusion votes, 964,493; Labour votes, 998,919; and in the Senate: Fusion votes, 964,122; Labour votes, 969,985. Although the Labour Party had lost on a chance turn of fortune its majority in the House of Representatives, it Rained an overwhelming victory in the Senate, and in both cases the aggregate of Labour votes cast was superior to that east for the Fusion. Tho results of the referendum were that under 51 per cent, of the votes were cast against the amendments of the Constitution, and that over 49 per cent, of the votes' wer* in favour of the changes. A turnover of only about 1 per gent, of tho total vote was needed to give an aggregate majority for the Bilk. There had been an enormous increase on the "yes" vote of 1911. A by-election has been held in Queensland N for the Liberal electorate of Normanby. It was caused by the death of the late Liberal member, who at the General Election defeated tho Labour candidate by over 500 votes. The figures for the by-election are not complete, but the polling discloses a largely increased' Labour vote. The latest return is Archer (Liberal), 1051; Whiteley (Labour), 916. It is expected that the Liberal will retain his present lead, Mr Archer was member for Capricornia in tho Federal Parliament, but was defeated by Mr. Higgs at the 1913 election. The new determination, of the Victorian Grocers' Wages Board will come into operation on I3th April. It provides that the lowest rale of wages to be paid shall be: — Manager (i.e., the principal employee in any shop, except a. shop in which an owner or partner is working manager), 70s per week of 50 hours;' assistant, 55s per week of 50 hours ; canvasser, 55s per week of 50 hours; storeman, 55s per week of 50 hours; packer, 55s per week of 50 hours; motor driver, 55s per week of 53 hours; carter, driving two horses, 55s per week of 53 hours; carter, driving one horse, 50s per week of 53 hours. In Tasmania, the Grocers' .Wages Board ha 9 also delivered its determination. It is interertinfir to note that in tlm State, and for the first award in the trade, the board has fixpd a minimum wage of £2 12s for grocers' assistants. In New Zealand after years of organisation the grocers' assistant's wage is fixed at ■qnly £2 10s per week, and this rate lias only obtained since the- last awnrds in the trade were made, nil within the last two years. The wages of engine-drivers and cleanera on the Kalgoorlic end of the fransAustralian railway hnve been increased to j 14s and Us a day respectively, as a re*sult of an enquiry into complaints made I by them in January. At the last meeting of the Clerks' Wages Board in Melbourne a minimum rate of 50s for 44 hours per week win flxej for »ll etetUs ath«r than famntc c;j»hi<frs 1"i retail ihops tad typist* and j Btfttwjjuphfltt, I