THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 22773, 7 October 1937, Page 16

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

[By Trade Unionist,]

UNVEILING THE LATE H. E. HOLLAND’S MEMORIAL. By the time these notes appear in print many hundreds of Labour supporters throughout the Dominion will be preparing for their trek to Wellingtno to take part in the unveiling of a memorial to the late Labour leader, Mr H. E. Holland, by the Prime Minister, the Hon. M. J. Savage, next Saturday, at 2.30 p.m. , , This ceremony has been delayed somewhat owing to the absence from the Dominion of several of our leading Cabinet Ministers, including the Prime Minister, attending the Coronation festivities in England. It was then decided to fix the date in close proximity to the fourth anniversary of Mr Holland's death, so as to give all and sundry in the Labour movement an opportunity of being present. Invitations have been extended to all trade unions and affiliations to the Labour Party to send delegates. From information received a large number of organisations have responded, and are sending delegates to place a wreath on the grave of the late respected Labour Leader. The Otago Trades Council of the New Zealand Federation of Labour and the Otago Labour Representation Committee are both being represented by local delegates, who are placing wreaths from \their respective organisations on Mr Holland’s grave. The occasion promises to be an historical event. All sections of the community have been invited to be represented, including the Maori race. All have been asked to pay their last respects to the departed statesman who, before he died, was such a prominent figure in New Zealand politics. ; It is known thao he (Was beloved by all who knew him, outside of the Labour movement, not because of the principles he advocated, but because of his tenacity ot purpose and consistency in fighting for the cause he believed in, his wellinformed contributions to discussion, both oral and written, and his personality. The memorial to bo unveiled stands in the Bolton Street Cemetery, Wellington, and cost within the vicinity of £I,OOO. This sum was mostly collected from the workers throughout the Dominion, in small sums. It was thought by Mr Holland’s family and personal friends that he would like it to be so provided. The memorial was designed and executed by Mr R. 0. Gross, A.R.8.5., a well-known Auckland sculptor. The committee responsible for the organising work to obtain the funds to erect the statue reports that the artist has excelled himself.

SEASONAL OCCUPATIONS. Now that the days are getting longer ,and warmer many workers are preparing to migrate to the country to get employment in the seasonal work that is offering. , During the winter many of these workers obtain casual work in the towns, but a large number are now employed on. pubic works, with the result that a considerable number of shearers, at present employed on these jobs, are forwarding requests for leave of absence to go shearing, etc., during the season, with the result that the New Zealand Workers’ Union has received the following circular from the Engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department:—“ The Minister of Public Works has agreed to temporary workmen on public works being granted special leave of absence for seasonal occupations this year on the same terms and conditions as last year—viz., leave of absence is to be granted only for shearing (including shed hands), haymaking, harvesting, and slaughtering (and not for other work in freezing works); the leave is to be without pay by the department, and workmen shall not be entitled to payment by the department for any statutory holidays, which occur during the period of leave. Workmen shall make written application to the officer-in-charge of the departmental work on which they are employed, mentioning: (a) Date they propose leaving, and (b) tlie approximate .date they will be returning to the departmental work, A workman shall not leave until his application lias been approved in writing by the officer in charge. Leave of absence will not be approved for less than live working days (one working week), except jn exceptional circumstances in the ease of haymaking or harvesting, or longer than three months. A workman will be t reemployed by the department when the seasonal work is finished, provided that the departmental work on which he was employed has not been completed in the meantime and there are vacancies on it. Workmen who ' are granted leave of absence for haymaking or harvesting will not be permitted to return to their departmental work on days which are either wet or otherwise unsuitable for haymaking or harvesting. The period- of approved leave shall not constitute a break in service, but shall not count when determining a workman’s length of service tor payment of annual leave under clause (b) of part (15) of the Public Works workers’ agreement, 1936. In the case of workmen who had qualified for paymerit of annual leave owing to their length of continuous service; (a) The amount of annual leave for which they will receive payment at Christinas if they return to the department’s employ before the Christmas-New Year vacation will be based on the time actually worked for the department during the year; (b) if the period of leave extends beyond the Christmas-New Year vacation, they shall not be entitled to any annual leave on pay at Christmas, but they will be granted the 1937 annual leave at a later convenient date to the department, and it will be based on time actually worked for the department in that year (1937).

IRISH LABOUR’S BID TO END TRADE WAR. On both sides of the Irish Sea intelligent people arc becoming impatient. Recently events have taken place which may eventually lead to an ending of the present deadlock. Mr William Norton, who is leader of the Free State Labour Party, and since the recent election the man on whom President Ue Valera is completely dependent for his parliamentary majority, has been in London in order to consult with Mr Attlee and other English Labour leaders. Possibl.y ,Mr_ Attlee will pay him a return visit in Dublin berbre the autumn. Mr Norton has a very straightforward plan for putting things right. He wants the Anglo-Irish hatchet to be buried for five years. At the end of that period all the questions in dispute between the two countries can be reopened and fully discussed. In the meantime the trade embargoes can be lifted and a first-rate trade agreement can be signed between the two countries.

Ho lias no wish to shelve the points of difference which have poisoned Anglo-Jrish relations. But he is determined that the peoples of the jLwo

countries shall not suffer while these points remain unsettled. A really good trade agreement would, in Mr Norton’s view, be able to build up an annual trade between Britain and the Free State of £IOO millions a year. This is twice what it was last year. “ We badly need machinery and other capital equipment,” _ he told a ‘Daily Herald ’ representative only the other day; “we cannot and never will be able to produce it economically ourselves. • “At present much of.it is coming from Continental countries, but the arrangement is not producing a mutual return.” If Ireland badly needs Britain’s manufactures, Britain badly needs the products of Irish agriculture in these times when food is scarce and prices are rising. A trade agreement would, if Mr Norton’s hopes are fulfilled, add something like another £25 millions a year to tne value of British exports. There is no excuse for wasting such an opportunity. It shows once again how greatly the hope of prosperous trade between the peoples depends on the triumph of the common-sense policies put forward by the world’s Labour parties. • • • • COMMUNISTS AND THE UNIONS. If one does not wish to accuse the Communists prematurely of merely expressing their sudden love for democracy, their country, national defence, and other “ bourgeois lies ” in order to further the aims of high politics, one must examine their attitude in those countries where, as high politics do not play so important a part, their credo may be regarded as the expression of a really changed conception, and not a mero .political necessity. But it is unfortunately obvious in such countries such as Switzerland, Scandinavia, Luxemburg, Greece, South America, etc., that the old fight against the free trade unions is being

systematically carried on and no further progress made in the question of unity than an offer of “ united action ” or “common action,” which was, for example, in France strictly rejected by the free trade unions during the whole period of the unity negotiations. The Lhbour Party and trade unions were some time ago impelled to protest against the Communists’ attitude, and they have recently again taken an energetic stand on this point. They wCrcfroced to state that “ the Communists in their disruptive action were injuring the unity and power of the trade union movement.”- —‘ I.F.T.U. Bulletin.’ • • • • ROOSEVELT LEGISLATES AGAINST ' SWEATED LABOUR. Reports from the United States suggest that an interesting piece of antisweating legislation will be passed before Congress rises this month (says a British paper). The progress of the measure is being keenly watched in this country. The Bill, prompted by President Roosevelt, will create a Labour Standards Board of five members with salaries of £2.000 a year each. The board’s duty would bo to fix minimum rates of wages and maximum standard weekly hours of work for certain trades and occupations. It is proposed that the minimum wages shall not exceed Is 8d an hour, and the maximum working week shall not be less than 40 hours. Before fixing standards for any industry, the board would hold a public inquiry. A reminder of the low standards still common in the United States is provided by President Roosevelt’s statement that: “ One-third of our population, the overwhelming majority of which is in agriculture and industry, is ill-nourished, ill-clad, and ill-housed.” But, for various reasons, the scope of any regulations will be considerably limited. Generally, the board will only be able to fix standards in respect of

trade which passes from one State to another. Retail distribution, for example, will hardly be touched. Agricultural and fishing is specifically excluded. 1 Opposition to the Bill comes mainly from the Southern States, where standards of wages and conditions are worst. _ In. its general aim, the Bill has a remote resemblance to our Trade Board system. . .. - • •, Enforcement would be secured, says ‘ Industrial and Labour Information,’ published by the 1.L.0., by barring from interstate commerce unfair goods ” —goods produced under substandard conditions, and goods produced by workers under 18, where such emplovment would be unlawful in the State “to which the goods were shipped. Offenders would be liable to fines ranging from £IOO to £2OO, and imprisonment from sis months to a year. , • • • • WORKERS’ FLYING CLUB. A flying club for working men only has been formed at Southport, England. It will be run on the lines of the successful London Passenger Transport Club. , Already the organisers have been offered the free use of a monoplane. They expect to buy a machine soon. It is hoped to establish the club aerodrome at Hawkwell. Many bus drivers have already signified their intention of becoming flying members. During the next few weeks classes for ground instruction will be started and negotiations opened for a club instructor and ground staff. All members of the club must belong to a recognised trade union. ••• • • INCREASES TO ENGLISH DOCKERS. Terms were reached recently which, subject to ratification, provide for ,an increase of Is a day in English dockers’ rates of pay, as from September 20. ' i

The proposed terms also contain an important provision for working out measures to deal with the casual labour; problem, and to secure holidays with pay. “ The negotiations between.the port' employers and the trade unions connected with the National Council of Port Labour, which had been going on for some time, reached a definite stage to-day,” said the joint official statement issued, “ when , both sides decided to recommend to their constituents acceptance of a settlement, the principal points of which are as follow: “1. Dockers’ rates ,of pay to be increased by Is a day, on the present half-daily basis; this increase to apply both to time workers and piece workers in conformity with the’ national agreements, and to come into force on September 20. , “2. Both sides immediately to get ■ together to devise methods to give greater security of . tenure to the dock worker, a framework of suggestions t«* be sent to the individual ports this week for their detailed consideration. “ As part and parcel of this scheme,there will be considered methods to give financial assistance to the older men who may he dispossessed of registration tokens by any schemes which may be adopted, and a method of making pr<v vision for holidays with pay.” Mr Basil Sanderson presided for th# employers and Mr Ernest Bevin presided for the unions. _ . The unions are taking steps to circulate the terms and to arrange a delegate conference to deal with them.