AUSTRALIAN ITEMS

Maoriland Worker, Volume 6, Issue 243, 13 October 1915, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS

-.-'.The by-election for. the, Wilioughbyseat in the N.S.W. Legislative Assem-. bly, rendered vacant by tb.9 death at Gallipoli- of Sergeant ,E. R. Larkin, was held on Saturday, September 18. Tho Labour-candidate,- Mr."'Chamber6jheaded : the iisfc in -. a- very, sma" pell, ohly 4133 votes 'being recorded on a roU- of 12,459, but as he did -not get an, absolute majority .of . the -.total votes polled, a-second ballot was-ne-cessary- The first ballot result was: JOHN L. CHAMBERS (Lab.) "1759 John Haynbs (Independent) 1619 'J. G. Willson (Ind. Liberal) 263 T". B". Redgrave (Independent) 233 E. Mi Clark (Independent) :.. 216 M. J..Roland (Independent) ... . -4 Informal ~'..". ■'........" .S4 In the-second ballot, the independ-' out-'. (Haynes)i topped • the poll. -. • ; • t. .-*.- • # •.*,.- ■ ; - . -The-Railway Workers' and: General • Labourers' 'Union has' entered into reciprocal agreements'; firstly,' with : the Trolley -and 'Draymen's • Union,; and. secondly ivitli the Water aud-Sewer-age ' Board Employees' Union. -.It is now, anticipated "that* the .three unions concerned', will lie -practically., merged I into ono union in-dealing with .tbo matter of disputes that may;exist -in !tho future. . This proposed. concerted ! action •will,- it isl ■ held,--,'- -materially [strengthen -■the. members,,-in- any ,-inI dustrial' crisis.. Again, representatives 'from tho Railway ■ Workers and :tho A. W.U. will. meet.to draff the- .-articles of an amalgamation proposed .between. I the; twe? '.bodies.'; •' At 'this - meeting, 'the Postmaster-G.enqra.iV(Mr. Spe_.ce), ■■ who is' also; president. of; the-. AyW;U;., ! will attend. '..•'-.; ' '.-:'-.,, •-, ■' '.'•-: S A a <:■

.-•■;', ...•-. .•-.'■;.*„• ■~'.,*-., ■ ,&■), '.: •.•..";:,?"■' -- A- Trades; ih& the' Illawarra,' andiSouth; Coist-dis-tricts, has been./sitting- .at-iWpllongpiig': The undermentioned.' eenfitnents-. ytofe. expressed, strongly supported, attd-j eventually adopted:—"That, in -the opinion of this conference, the time has new" arrived when all' workers should belong to one union, and that the one iirii6n should be departmentalized for the purpose of grouping Workers 'employed in kindred occupations, in <> T that "the interests/of all'"' employes should-" be .properly ._*reteete£."- ----; '! -. -jj.-i-•--sir « • '■• To every application made by ttCsplc-- j cis : to wages boards 1 for' 'reproved wages and xvorking conditions 'capitalists sadly reply: ; decreased' earnings' and output.' 1 Yet to meet tho applications mado by capitalists' wives and daughters, the Japanese steamer, Terishin Maru, brings to • Sydney -'a consignment of GO tons of silk .during--tho time of "Decreased earning- and output.'' ' * .#..-*:., It is pointed out that under the -Australian Government's new Arbitration -Jill, there is nothing to prevent-a tailor from becoming a- member of a. bootmakers' organisation, or a painter j becoming a member of the Typographi- j cal Union. The unions arc likely -to i put up -,i stroii?; rcsis'l:mcr-''l:n its pro-' posals.