LABOR NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 8808, 25 April 1892, Page 3

LABOR NOTES.

. The Knights of Labor North received the following telegram from Sir George Grey in reply to one sent wishing him many happy returns of tho day."Thank all most heartily for congratu ations Will do my best to repay you by devoting the rest of my life to the interest of all my fellow men." . A Wellington labor exchange is advertising in the city papers as follows:««Wanted, a number of good men for road work; la por hour. Men engaged by ua will bo guaranteed work." The Bishop of Salisbury recently offered to an old laborer at the episcopal palace the post of lodge keeper, intimating at the same time that it was a life appointment. The laborer, however, declined the office, on the ground that he would be expected to attend churoh if he took it, and, as he had always gone to chapel, so he meant to continue doing to the end. Dr Wordsworth openly and oordially expressed admiration at the man's honest independence, installed him at once in the office, and told him he was free to worship where his conscience diotated. Going from home for information, the Marton 'Mercury' gives the following:— "On (lit that in consequence of a lowering of wages, oonßequent on slaok work, there is likely to be a strike among the engineers and boilermakers; certainly in Dunedin, and not improbably in other centres." And in this connection we find from a Wellington paper that the Boilermakers Union have asked the employers in Wellington to state their objections to an lacrease of pay, and the masters have decided to write fully on the subject. The employers, it is asserted, have every desire to better the condition of the men, but cannot see their way in the present depression in the iron trade to increase their wages. The telegraph employed of Adelaide are complaining that the Government have not raised their salaries in accordance with the decision of Parliament laet session. In passing the Estimates the increases voted for other departments were granted, but the Telegraph Department was passed over. Thore is a strong fear among the offisials that owing to the revenue not fulfilling expectations tho Government wiH not give them their increased remuneration. The Government have promised to consider tho matter at an early date. . The hand-book by the Federation of li .bor ehowa the Btrength of the seventy-four national trade unions of the United States t'} be 670,117. The Carpenters' Brotherhood leads with 65,000 members; Amalgamated Iron and Steel Workers, 60,000; Iron Moulders' Union of North America, 41,000; International Bricklayers and Stonemasons' Union, 35,000; Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, 30,000; International Typographical Union, 28,000 ; Cigarmakers' International Union, 27,000; Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, 23 000; United Mine Workers, 20.000 ; Granite Cutters' National Union, 20,000; Journeymen Bakers' National Union, 17,500; Journeymen Tailors' Union, 17,000; and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and Brotherhood of Painters and Decorators, each with 16,000. For some time past the Trades and Labor Council of New South Wales have been ia communication with the head of the Government on the unemployed question. The correspondence began with a letter from tho Trades Hall asking the Premier to receive a deputation to discuss:—l. The necessity of the Government providing immediate employment in urgent oases. 2. The necessity for a department of industry being established to protect male and female workers against registry offices. 3. To discuss a scheme for placing industrious people on the land under the prinoiple of the Homestead Areaß Act. 4. The necessity for the insertion of a clause in all Government contracts for the prevention of "sweating," eight hours to be the maximum working day, and the minimum rate of wages to bo stated. Further letters were received asking the Government to refrain from sending any more labor from the city until the surplus labor which exists in the country ia absorbed, and to promote village settlements on waste lands. The Under-Secretary has foiwarded a comprehensive reply, in which, after dealing with the different matters broached in the letters from the Trades and Labor Council, he writes as follows :—" Mr Dibbs desires me to say that he fails to see what good purposo can be served by bis discussing these subjects at length with the proposed deputations, The work of Ministers is too practical in its requirements to admit of their debating in the proposed manner questions of polity or economics. Such a process wcu'd not bo a profitable use o : the limited time to which urgent questions of practical government sternly and ceaselessly lay claim. It is the very canker of publio affairs that so much time ia consumed in talk, and that so trifling a balanoe remains for work ; and Mr Dibba may be pardoned for respectfully but frankly affirming that this ia the true state of affaire outBide Parliament as well as within ita walls. It ia enough to instance the extent to which daily interviews and deputations curtail the time available for active demonstration. I am therefore to suggest that it is as truly m the interest of your Council, as of the whole community, that Ministers should be spared ai much time aa possible in which to continue transacting the real business of the people. It is courteously asked that this letter may be taken aa an anwer to your numerous proposals for deputations on the subjeotp embraced, whether made on behalf of the Trades and Labor Council or of the i unions represented by you,"