THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 20634, 6 November 1930, Page 17

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

[By J.S.S.] liricl contributions on matters ivjtit veUrrcno:' lc Ui-i Labor Movement are itri ;tod. WOR K EUS’ U XEMPLOY ALENT BOY UD REP RESENT A'iTv ES. A peculiar position lias arisen in the matter of the selection of the two workers’ representatives on the Unemployment Board. Many large unions are refusing to nominate any representatives at all. It is not difficult to sue their point of view. As was pointed out by the Dunedin Labour deputation, which waited on the Hon. W B. Taverner last Saturday, it is possible for hundreds of different unions to nominate hundreds of different candidates. The result will lend to a confusion of personalities and interests, in which each group will endeavour to gain the utmost support for its own particular candidate. Already unions have been inundated with tetters from aspirants, some of whom have secured the baching ol their own unions. Nominations have also been forwarded by small unions who cut a very inconspicuous figure* in the industrial movement. Undoubtedly the wrong method of selecting representatives has been adopted, but it will ho a great pity if the difficulty cannot he surmounted. If any large section of unions is antagonised at the outset of tho hoard’s operations it will be a most inauspicious start for it. The only satisfactory method of selection is that adopted for the election of tho workers’ representatives on tho Arbitration Court. Every two years an election is held, in which each union has a voting strength in accordance with the size of its membership. The result is that every individual worker has a vote, and tho candidate for whom most votes are cast is successful. The election is thus entirely in the hands of the workers, who have full control over those whom they elect. In the case of the Unemployment Board no choice is open save that of making nominations. In a reply sent to a Dunedin union secretary the Minister mentions that if only two nominations are sent in by tho unions then he must select those two, and implies that control of tho selection does not lie entirely in his hands This contention is largely defeated by the large number of nominations already in evidence. Tho suspicion exists that tho Government, or at least the Minister, has already decided on tho workers’ representatives,' and these names do not meet with tiie approval of very many unions. The fear lias been expressed that men of sufficient Labour backbone will not be elected. It is realised that tho representatives of employees on the board will, in any case, bo greatly outnumbered, and this is an additional reason for advocating proper selections. .Much dissatisfaction arises, too, from the short time given' to make nominations, unions finding extreme difficulty in calling together a special mooting with only a limited time available in which to make important decisions. « *• * * EXEMPTIONS FROM TAX. Doubts are commdh among many people as to exactly who are cxcjnpt from payment of the unemployment tax. Copies of the Act arc not yet available, but as there are no appreciable alterations from the Bill in those clauses, the Bill may be accepted as a true guide in the matter. All male persons, irrespective of earning power, arc liable for the levy as soon as they reach tho age of twenty. Any such person who arrives from another conn-, try with tho intention of becoming a resident is liable from the time he arrives. The following classes of persons are totally exempt:—-(1) livery person for tho time being in receipt of a war pension in respect of his total disable ment; (2) those in receipt of the old age pension: (3) every Native, unless living as a European. Temporary exemptions include the following Every person who on duo date of any instalment of levy and for at least a month thereafter is an inmate of—(a) any public hospital; (h) any public or private charitable institution established for the relief of aged, needy, or infirm persons; (c) any prison, reformatory institution, or Borstal institution. Students of any university college, technical school, secondary school, or other educational institution who arc not in receipt of wages or salary.

TEUBfBLE DISASTER RECALLED. Mr H E. Holland is wont to reminisce feelingly at times _ on incidents arising from the industrial troubles which occurred on the northern coalfields round about ibid. tie attributes the formation of a bogus union as one of the causes leading to the terrible mine disaster there, in which over forty men lost their lives. “ To see women and children turned out bag and baggage from their homes when the strike was on was bad enough,” be stated to his hearers at bis Dunedin meeting last wool;, 11 bub to think of that frightful disaster happening as an aftermath of the dispute and bringing sorrow into so many homos, was worst of all. The bogus union was formed in direct opposition to the al-ready-established union, and one result ■ was that several of the officials appointed in the mine wore most incompetent. The check' inspector selected, it was subsequently discovered at the inquiry, was unable oven to read (ho anemometer, a duty simple enough for tli© veriest tyro to master. Had this instrument been read, and had the proper inspections boon made regularly throughout the mine, the fatalities would have been prevented. The whole business revealed tragic neglect, in which the formation of a bogus union and the appointment of incompetent men in supervisory jobs played no small part.” » >f * SOLID ELECTORAL VOTE. Mr 11. E. Holland is an eminently popular man on the West Coast of tlio South island, and the story ho told at his mooting in the Trades Hal! last week was a good illustration of the fact. Ho was in the habit of paying visits to a small coal mining village high up in the mountain ridges, which could only he reached by means of a corduroy track. In winter, with snow lying ail around the task of reaching the Village was difficult, particularly so. for Mr Holland, After one very trying climb the Labour Party leader was told not to bother coining again—“ We will look after all the votes that are for you,” he was informed. When the results went up for Uewanui at the General election it was found that Mr Holland had polled (31 votes out of a possible 62. The vote cast against him was debited by the villagers to tlio. deputy-returning officer, who was a visitor! a * # », DRIVEILS’ UNION’S ATTITUDE. The Dunedin Drivers’ Union, at the last meeting, ranged itself alongside other unions which are making strong protests against the method of .selecting the two workers’ representatives on the Unemployment Hoard. The secretary. Mr W. .Herbert, forwarded a letter of protest In 1 1 1 cj _ AUnislor of Labour (Hon. S. (i. Smith), pointing out that flic Hill had been perused by the union, but no proper provision was found in

it for tho election of representativealter they have boon nominated by tin unions. The representatives wen merely to he selected by the Ministci from among many possible nominations. Thus tiie union felt that it could not oiler any nominations at present, unless an assurance was given that the nominations will be submitted to a ballot oi the unions nominating tho persons to bo appointed. It was pointed out that the Government took up a similar attitude regarding the amendments to tho Workers’ Compensation Act, with the result that tho commission sat with appointees who were not endorsed by the industrial Labour movement. If the present attitude were persisted in in not giving the unions the right to select by ballot who their representatives, shall bo on tho board, could the Minister expect from industrial Labour that co-operation so essential in successfully dealing with unemployment? The Minister’s reply to this communication was as follows“ Appointments to the hoard will be made strictly in accordance with tho provisions of the Unemployment Act, from which the Government has no power to depart. If only two nominations are received from organisations of workers such nominees must bo appointed, amd organisations ot workers, ns well as primary and secondary organisations, which "arc also entitled to representation on the board, therefore have control in their own hands.” A further letter was sent by Air Herbert again emphasising the protest of the union, and pointing out that unions had no control over their own appointments, inasmuch as there were dozens of nominations and from among these tho Minister made the selection. AIR J. M. BADDELEY. The appointment of Mr J. AI. Baddelcy as Minister of Alines, Indus- 1 try. and Labour in the new Lang Labour Government of Now South Wales lias led to several letters of congratulations being forwarded to him by Labour friends in Dunedin. Air Baddeley created a very kindly impression on the occasion of his visit hero in connection with the raising of funds to assist the distressed miners on the Australian coalfields. He stated, then, that his party was filled with a bitter determination to achieve power once again, and that their period as an Opposition Party iiad given them tho opportunity to rid themselves of elements which had done more harm than good to the movement. Mr Baddeley has the reputation of being an aggressive fighter, a quality, no_ doubt, acquired as the result of his long service as a miners’ leader. Air HKnight, another miners’ representative, who was successful in the last election, accompanied Mr Baddeley on his New Zealand torn. * ALLANCE OF LABOUR. Air J. Robinson, who was called to Wellington this week on business connected with the Alliance of Labour, of which lie is a National Council member, returned to Dunedin to-day in time for the ordinary monthly meeting of tiie Otago Labour Council this evening. Air Robinson will report on the official attitude which the Alliance intends to take up in reference to tho appointment of t[ie workers’ representatives on the Unemployment Board. It was expected that the Alliance of Labour would this week send a representative deputation to the Minister of Labour asking that opportunity bo given to hold a ballot of selection. The Alliance was very hostile to the Workers’ Compensation Commission because its authority was not given any consideration in the matter of appointments, and similar opposition is being shown in the case ot the Unemployment Board. Air Robinson’s evidence on the amendments put forward in the Workers’ Compensation Bill has been accepted by tho Alliance as a good detailed surnnry of its views, which will ho placed 'before the Government at an early date. In a sense there is pleasure that the Compensation Bill did not get through in the past session, us main* amendments to tho new clauses are proposed by Labour men, who can see many defects in several clauses, which it is deemed desirable to remove if possible. 1 * * *> * NEW SOUTH WALES LABOUR’S POLICY. The main promises made by Air Lang during his election campaign were : Repudiation of the Premiers’ Financial Agreement. Dissolution of tho Loan Council, and a. plan to borrow millions to complete revenue-producing works. Repeal of the western lands measure and break up of large estates. Abolition of the office ol State Governor. , . Abolition of the Legislative Council and reduction 'of membership of the Legislative Assembly. Restoration of Public Service salaries reduced by the Bavin Government. Restoration of the forty-four-hour week. Restoration of tho Fair Rents Court. Retention of industrial arbitration and conciliation. Amendment of the Milk Board logisRcv'iew of certain appointments made bv the Bavin Government. ‘'Rehabilitation of railways and tramways finances. Legislation to govern and regulate tho interest rate to be charged on mortgages. Programme of road construction in the country, aiming at absorbing unemployed and developing tho outback. Threat to deal with charters of trading banks if they refused money to the Labour Government. . Retention of widows’ pensions and family endowment.