WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVII, Issue 12850, 24 June 1902, Page 6

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

[Feom Otjb Cohbbspondent.] WELLINGTON, June 21.

The cause of representation goes on steadily, if not briskly. There is much] interest but little discovery, as you may readily 1 imagine. A little is known, towever, viz., that with the six new members the number cf the representatives for the two islands will be equal. In tho light of this fact the northern agitation for more Cabinet representation will not becomie any smaller. , Sonne talk is heard about the city electorates, chiefly to the effect that Mr Fisher bids fair to head the poll, by reason of) the strong line he has taken about, city matters in general and Harbour Board concerns in particular* in the development of all of which he has certaimly impressed people by his very great ability. Mr Hutchison, it is known, will not stand again,, and Mr Atkinson is thought to be-«/haky, by reason that part.of his hostility to the Premier was considered by many as having gone too far into pro-Boerism. It is said'that there will 'be. a-tremendous "tale"of candidates for this electorate. .Labour will, if things .go as they are, not give as good an account of itself as usual, for uhe simple reason that it is divided against itself.' An amount of reactionary spirit hasbeen simmering for months past, and l 'broke out in the Trades and Labour Council the other night, in a wild attack on the Arbitration Court. I must confess to not underhtanding how the Court should 1 have seen its way to explain that its award) fixing double rate for work after .midnight was only meant to include up to six ini the morning. The Painters' Union, which) is the aggrieved party, complains, moreover, that the award was given at the instance of only the employers. There is on both points room for explanation or understanding certainly, but the malcontents are not thereby justified in their wholesale attack against arbitration, and in.their re-' volt towards the old system of freedom, tempered by strikes and lockouts. But these workers have been discontented for a long time, and they took the first opportunity for an explosion. They refused, to retract last night when they were wanted to, and they flew out against the absent Premier and his statement about the absence of unemployed. Mr Collins, the one firm friend, performed the Brutus-like office of killing not Ceesar, but his liberalism. " Take it from me," he said, in mournful accents, " he will return from the Imperial blandishments a Tory." Whether all this is the result of Mr Tom Mann's Socialistic campaign, I cannot say. The party will not stand shoulder to shoulder at the elections.In the election 0f'1896 they were firm on " the ticket," but no ticket will rally them now. The, Parliamentary Committee of the Wellington Trades Council is to wait upon' the Acting-Minister for Labour arid ask him to have the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act amended .in certain directions. The proposed amendments are in- ' dicated by the following resolutions car-' i ried at last night's meeting of the Council: —" That full wages be paid to injured men for the first four weeks (instead of two), from the date of the accident. Clause ft of the Act«'to be so altered as to give effect to this. That Clause.'2.of the schedule,of ; the Act'be made to read, 'compensation shall be a weekly payment during the in-, capacity, at the following rate:—Full pay for the first four weeks, and half pay after-, wards, based upon the rate of wages ruling ! in the industry, and the total liability of the employer in respect thereof shall not exceed £300.'" At present the payment isbased upon the average earnings of. the injured ■' man, which system, said the speakers last-night, presses very heavily upon the casual labourer.