WORK AND WORKERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16326, 23 August 1913, Page 16

WORK AND WORKERS.

NOTES FROM FAR AND NEAR. THE MARCH OF EVENTS. Mr John Verraxi, tho veteran minor who succeeded to tho leadership of tho Labour Party in tho South Australian State on tho death of Mr Thomas : Price, resigned his position owing to 1 private reasons. His post is to bo filled by Mr Crawford Vaughan. Mr Vaughan was born in Adelaide in 1874. After a good local education ho entered commercial life, but bis ardent lovo of politics soon caused him to forsnko tho lodger for tho hustings. Ho was a candidate in the. first Federal elections, and although defeated, polled 11,800 votes. In 1905 ho successfully contested the Torrens scat in the State House. Five years later, when tho Vorran Government was formed, Mr Vaughan was given tho portfolio of Commissioner of Crown Lands and Treasurer, and he administered tho department with marked ability. _ Tho new leader is a fine speaker, nnd is regarded as ono of the most brilliant of the Australian younger school of politicians. THE GREY ELECTION. Tho Sydney “ Worker ” has tho following with reference to the recent byelection for Grey : “Mr P. C. Webb, president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, captured the Grey seat in tho Now Zealand House of Representatives on tlio second ballot. Ho defeated tbo Government candidate, Mr Michel, by GOO votes in a total poll of over 6000. The vacancy was created by tho death of Sir A. R. Guinness. “ In connection with this by-election, a. disgraceful scandal lias been exposed by the Labourites. Tbo officers responsible for tho carrying out of tbo compulsory training laws were proved to have discriminated against youths who wero assisting in tlio Labour election campaign, having them arrested for failing to drill, while others whoso parents were not taking any prominent part politically wore not charged. Tins matter was taken to tbo Prime Minister (Mr Massey) by a deputation from tlie Labour Congress, and he promised to put a stop to it.

DAY LABOUR v. CONTRACT LABOUR.

That day.labour has proved more economical than contract labour in New South Wales is evident from the following comparative statement submitted bv the Chief Commissioner of Railway (Construction in that State to tho Minister of Public Works: —

“Taking the whole of tlio railways constructed from 1897 (when the day ! labour system was first initiated)) up ! to Juno 30 of the present year, the : following figures show tho mileage and | tho total cost of the lines actually com- ! pi etc d: — ; “ Tho books of tho Department show j that, within the period named, there : have been constructed under the con- | tract system 404 i milos of railway, at j a cost of £1,744,460, or an average per ; mile of £4309. Under tlio day labour 1 system there ba.vo been constructed I 765 miles of lino, at an aggregate cost j of £2.510,897, or an average of £3321 per mile. | In tho case of tlio contract lines, tho i total cost exceeded tho estimates by | the sum of £229,880 (equal to 15 per cent), whereas on the dn.y labour lines the total cost worked out at £282 less than tho total estimates.” AMERICAN LANDLORDISM. “A Mother” writes tho following letter to “ Tlio Citizen,” of Schenectady, New York “Sir,—Will someone advise me just what to do? The house where I am living is to bo sold, eo we will havo to rr.ovo soon. I havo looked all over for a placo to live, but because I- have throe small children po one will have me. What 1 want to know is which will bo the best tiling to do—givo them away or kill tliom ? ft seems as if I will'havo to-do ono tiling or the other, as I cannot live on tho streets with them. If I try that, some great big bravo policciyt n would arrest n:o and put me in jail, and I don’t know what would become of my babies. “Then again, if I kill them, God will never havo them in heaven, as a great many of tho places I have tried to rent arc owned by good Christian church’ members, and, as they could not stand to live in the house with little ones, they surely could not stand to live witll them in heaven. I will look for advico in next week’s paper, as time is short hero.” As tho succeeding issue of tho journal is not to hand, I cannot stato the solution, if any, of tho poor woman’s problem. MR JAMES THORN. Mr Janies Thorn, who will return to Now Zealand shortly, is still perambulating and “ propaganding ” in tho “Forward” Van in the interests of Socialism among the bills and dales of Bonnio Scotland. His weekly report to his paper is made interesting by a droll description of his many difficulties, and liis friends in this city will have no difficulty in conjuring up a mental picture of “Jimmie” in conjunction with tho scenes described in the following extract;—

“ Generally speaking, I have bad no grounds this week for any exuberance of feeling. My experience has restrained me from thrusting my head into tho clouds. I havo not in tho least boon moved to give throo cheers for tho revolution, nor have I noticed tho little hills gambolling before the coming of the dawn. Briefly put, difficulties havo been many and propaganda, flat. A comprehensive group of afflictions assailed me. They were of tho usual kind that befall the agitator, and they were deadly. Impoverished by strikes, disciples of Bacchus, tho devitalising blight of Orangcism, holidays, Royal Burgh, cinema mania, rain (very plenteous) and chronic torpor. “ Physically one requires a ten-horse-power strength to stave off tlio death of humour. And without humour ono would consign tho populace to tho Inferno with largo Unanimity, and patronise tlie Pierrots. If the agitator cannot discern the jest in tho anxiety of a striker against £1 por week to ascertain tho nature of his theological convictions, ho had better exchange bis job as a saviour for that of a hodcarrier. It is a trifle laborious to spot, tlio joko sometimes, and this explains my spiritual depression this week. I’ve had to do it repeatedly or slay a man to assnago my rage. This mental effort does uso up a man. “Tho Van was in Stevenston on Monday and Tuesday. Tho Ardeer strike had reached tho exciting stage where a largo detachment of police had been drafted in to assist to their slavery any strikers who might wish to resume “their friendly relations” with Nobel, Ltd., at 203 lOd a. week. I got a groat crowd, but towards the end of my speech a procession marched right through my meeting on their way to a demonstration in Saltcoats. ~ The humour of this escaped mo for quite a considerable time. I lost half my audience, and tho remainder was very much unstnadied. Of course, tho fun was in tlio fact that I collected a largo number of-men, and, having torn my chest into fibres in stating half my argument, witnessed thorn join tho" marchers before I had completed it. This was a screaming joke. And it shows tlio mutual helpfulness that marks our relations together. There was only one fly in the ointment. To the few who stopped by the Van, Comrades Ferguson, Millar and I sold 6s 9d worth of literature. A sad mistako this—a rift within tho lute.”

WEST AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PARTY. Tho West Australian Labour Party

recently held its annual Congress and adopted tho following objective and platform, which is but slightly different from that which previously obtained:—

Objective,

(a) Tlio cultivation of an Australian sentiment, based upon tbo maintenance of a racial purity, and tho development in Australia of an enlightened and selfreliant community. (b) Tho securing of tho full results of tboir industry to all producers by tho collective ownership of tho industrial and economic functions of the Stato and municipality. Fighting Platform.

1. Effective reform of tho Legislative Council with a view to tho ultimate abolition.

2. Taxes on unimproved land values without exemptions or rebates, and 50 por cent increase oil absentee owners. 3. Initiative and referendum. 4. Non-alienation of Crown lands with a view to tlio ultimate nationalisation of all lands. General Platform.

1. Nationalisation of tlie liquor traffio and local option as to continuance, increase or reduction of licenses. 2. Maximum day of eight hours, with one clear day per week off for all workers.

3. Graduated income tax with exemptions up to £250, with special impost on absentees. 4. State fire, life and accident insurance.

5. Tho abolition of tho prosept system of State Governors and Government House. 6. Establishment of State flour mills, Stato Agricultural Development, Marketing nnd Export Departments, and tho State manufacture of agricultural machinery and fertilisers. 7. Departmental construction of public works.

8. Limitation of Stato borrowing—except for the purpose of reproductive works (the term, reproductive to mean the earning of working expenses and interest, and of the principal by a sinking fund during the life of tho said work). 9. Tho establishment of a State clothing factory. 10. Free technical, scientific and general education. 11. Ministerial control of State rail L ways. Propaganda principles. fa) Right to work. (b) Proportional representation.