Page 5 Advertisements Column 2

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1387, 20 November 1918, Page 5

.Under New South Wales' Litest Arbitration Act' strikes (says the Sydney Bulletin) are absolutely illegal, unless a union declares, bv secret ballot, that it wants to strike. A small party which has gathered its force in advance may surprise a small meeting and carry its strike resolution by a big- majority, and the real majority, which wasn't present, may go with what it thinks is the crowd, hut which is nothing of thn sort, Tho peaceful ballot tends to undermine the authority of the roaring "boss," and the "boss" is consequently against it. So the very first time tho new law was trie'.'.—over n trouble at Metters' factory, Alexandria —the strike was rushed a day ahead of the ballot. Thero nfight be a majority against us, but tho Direct Action leaders have no use for a majority. Their contempt for tho voice of the people i s akin to that of Louis XIV.

.11. is learned on good authority (says the Melbourne Argus) (hat over 45,000 ton;; of wheat, or moro than half a million bags, will bo shipped from Fromaiitlo to ports on the Mediterranean shortly by a fleet of steamers which are now en their way to Australia. That the wheat is urgently needed to relieve the famine conditions now threatening some- of the .European peoples is demonstrated by the composition of the fleet which will movo it, and also by tho fact that nono of tho steamers will come farther east than Fremantle. The vessels have been hastily diverted from other important trado routes, their nearness to Australia beingthe chief factor governing their inclusion in the southward-bound group. Among thorn are freighters belonging to the BritishIndia Steam Navigation Company, and detached from service in Indian water." to mako the trip: two German sl"*»in<«-( which were requisitioned by the Brilir 1 Government on the outbreak of war; a steamer flying the flag of the Tatem S.N. Company of Cardiff, and cargo carriers of tho International and Eller"UUU! and iJucknall lines respectively.