LABOR NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 8773, 14 March 1892, Page 2

LABOR NOTES.

Three hundred thousand British miners ceased work on Friday last, and an additional 100,000 will go ont this week. It has not been decided how long the strike is to last, but it is believed the majority of the men will retnrn to work after the first week, The German Miners’ Federation advise miners to help the English miners by refusing to execute orders received from England, A Canterbury builder, who has just returned from Melbourne, tells a Wellington paper that New Zealand tradesmen are preferred above all others by employers of labor in the Victorian capital. Another section of railway on the Eketahuna side of Woodville is about to be commenced. The work will be done on the cooperative principle, and will provide employment for fifty or sixty men, An English jam manufacturer named Pink has recently been boycotting union lightermen by refusing to employ them, and the riverside unions consequently invited the co-operative stores and others to boycott Pink’s jams. Pink considers that this is illegal, and has commenced a libel action against the officials of the maritime unions for thus interfering with his business. The contractor for a building in Wellington was waited upon last week by a deputation of carpenters and joiners, who complained that the number of hours recognised as a week’s work—namely, forty-six—-was being infringed. The builder, who received the deputation in a most friendly manner, explained that, being a stranger to the city, ho was under the impression that the recognised number of hours per week was forty-eight, that not one of his carpenters had made a complaint to him, and that he bad no intention of interfei iog with the existing custom. The wood engravers of London, who stand high in the scale of occupations, are organising a labor union. At the annual conference in Melbourne of shearers’ delegates a committee was appointed to draft a basis for the amalgamation of all the shearers’ and general laborers’ unions throughout Australia. It was decided that on all questions of general importance a general plebiscite of the members shall be taken before any action is resolved on.

From the annual report of the Auckland Typographical Association we learn that trade has not been brisk, necessitating a larger amount than usual being paid away for out-of-work and travelling allowances; that the Association have improved financially ; and that the agreements entered into between the Association and the offices affected regarding the employment of females as compositors have been adhered to. We also notice that the Association secured first prize for the best display at the recent eight-hour demonstration. In 1852 the Amalgamated Society of Engineers had over 12,000 members. They have now close on 70,000. Premier Bibbs (N.S.W.) thus addressed an unemployed deputation recently " Well, I won’t receive you, and yon can do yoar blankest. Von have got year own labor men in Parliament, and if they humbug yon it is not my fault.” At the commencement of their strike the German compositors’ unemployed fund amounted to L 50.000, which the Government prohibited them from using for strike purposes. Some years ago dissatisfaction with some of the organisation methods of the Knights of Labor caused a secession, which resulted in the formation of the American Federation of Labor. The two bodies are now considering the question of joining hands again, and there is every probability that they will. The Russian Ministry of Public Instruction recently discussed and virtually adopted a resolution permitting the employment of women as apprentices in pharmacies. During the visit of Mr Tregear, chief inspector under the Factories Act, to Christchurch he had occasion to take prompt action to remedy evils that had existed far too long for the good of the employ^?. There recently passed away in Dorchester Workhouse a laborer named Hammett, who, sixty years ago, with others, was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment under the old conspiracy laws for attempting to form a laborers’ trade union. In consequence of the public agitation a free pardon was granted to the men by Lord John Russell. Twelve hundred Chinamen were thrown out of work through the breakdown of the Panama Isthmus Railway, and they are now marching through Central America en route for the United States, pillaging as they proceed. For the past few weeks several Adelaide clergymen, both Anglican and Nonconformist, have preached and lectured on the political situation, and advocated Socialism nudisgnisedly and fervidly. It is stated that at least two of these gentlemen have received letters from wealthy members of their congregations stating that unless the preaching of Socialism is immediately stopped their names will not appear on the annual subscribers’ lists to the funds of the church. As a result of the big strike of carpenters, the London building trades are federating. The following is an extract from the printed address of T. J. Ryan, who is standing as a labor candidate for the Barcoo aeat (Queensland)“ First and foremost of political reforms the Labor party put one man one vote. We want a people’s parliament, not a squatter parliament, nor a bankowned parliament. We want it firstly because it is just. I for one hold that the man who is denied a voice in the makingof the laws owes no loyalty to the law. We want it secondly because it is desirable ; for why should acres vote, as the squatters iseem to think ? We want it thirdly because •the other system has been tried long enough, and has proved a dead failure. There are a thousand good reasons why we want one mau one vote, and not a single sound reason why we should not have it. The man whose occupation compels him to move from place to place should share in the government of our common country with the man whose occupation enables him to settle; and no rich land grabber should outvote a poor and honest man. I agree in this putting one man one vote first, because, until we fot it, to talk of honest government is idle, 'hose now in power were put in and are kept in by the present unjust electoral system, and nothing we can say or do wQI remove them altogether until the people make their own parliament on the bids of one man one vote. On this reform all other reforms depend; not that we shall always be wise enough to do what is best, but be-

omw natU itm Ii ods wm on, Tots tfai people cannot do what U beat, even wheel they are wiee enough, 11 , Tbie 1 Pdbllo Service Journal, 1 pabliehed in the interests cf Civil servants, in its last issue says:—" We have to record a gratify* Ing increase to our ranks, np to the present, of over fifty new members, and from reports that have reached ns from the various districts we have no doubt that the membership roll for the new year just opening np will be still further augmented. While touching on this matter, we wd'nld nrg6 every individual member to assist local secretaries in obtaining new members, for the stronger our membership is the stronger will the hands of the Association be when matters of grave moment to the public service have to be dealt with.” It is understood that the Salvation Army labor bureau has had to close, owing to the competition of the Government bureau and private agencies. The American Knights of Labor have set an example which should be commended W every labor association throughout the world. One of the articles of their constitution reads thus: —“No local or other assembly or member shall, directly or indirectly, give, sell, or have any sle, beer, or intoxicating liquors of any kind at any meeting; party sociable, ball, picnic, or entertainment whatever appertaining to the Order. Any member found violating this law shall be suspended for not lew than six months, or expelled.”