THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, JUNE 1, 1891.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8581, 1 June 1891, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, JUNE 1, 1891.

Cable messages from London show that the great Labour Commission is getting • into working • order, ' and that the necessary stops! are being taken to divide the members into sections, so that the whole "ground, in its many divisions, may be covered. Till this commission reports there will not, in all probability, be any inquiry of the same nature attempted elsewhere. On it are men representing every scction of the community •; and if a way can be seen out of the deadlock, it will surely discern it. It must be confessed that no inquiry has yet been successful. Every big strike has hitherto been finished by a struggle, . and by victory and defeat. - If this Commission fails to find a method of settling labour troubles by any other means than strikes and lock-outs, with all the suffering and Waste which they r entail, then the world of industry will just have to stumble along, with the certainty that every few year's it will have a disastrous domestic Avlir. The text of tlio • Commission • states that the Commissioners are to inquire into the questions affecting . the relations between employers and em-1 ployed, and the. conditions of labour | which have been -raised during the recent trade dispute in the United King-1 dom •/and they "are to: report : whether j legislation can, with advantage,, be j directed to the : . remedy, of any evils that may be, discovered, and, if si/, in what. manner. . The members of the Commission are admitted to have been carefully and well selected. ' Lord Hartingtori is the chairman of the whole body. He is the most prominent public man not now in' office, with the ex . J. ■ tiOn of Mr. "Gladstone, and he is :• f eligible for a position such as this, : lie has also large industrial arid' trade interests. So important was this Commission felt to be, that the Prince of Wales intimated that he was quite willing to serve on it. But it was thought advisable that the Prince should not be nominated, as there may be differences of opinion, and it would be undesirable that the Prince should identify, himself i with one side 'or the other. The Pall Mall Gazette, while agreeing that the Commission is a good one, and has been well selected, divides the members into two camps, as follows : Tory or. capitalists: Lord Hartington, Lord Derby, Sir M. HicksBeach, M.P., Sir John Gorst, M.P., Mr. Courtney, M.P., Sir E. Harland, M.P., Mr. G. v Balfour, M.P., Mr. Collings, . M.P., Sir F. Pollock, : Sir W. T. Lewis,. ' Mr. T. 11. . Ismay, ; Mr. David Dale, Mr. George Livesay, Mr. W. Tunstall, Mr. Hewlitt. Labour or Liberal: Mr. Mundella, M.P., Mr. li. Fowler, M.P., Mr. J. C. Bolton, M.P., Mr. T. Burt, M.P., Mr. W. Abraham, M.P., Professor Marshall, Mr. Plimsoll, Mi'. J. Maudsley, Mr. Tom Mann, Mr. E. Trow, Mr. H. Tait, Mr. M. Austin. I''1'' '

This would give a majority of threeon the capitalist side, but then there are several reckoned there who might j fairly bo placed on the other side. For instance, Sir John Gorst, > who represented England at tho Berlin Conference, is with the Labour Party on many questions. Mr. Collin is known as the Parliamentary champion of the small allotment system. Mr. Mundella's interest in all labour questions is well known; Mr. Courtney and Professor Marshall are political economists of an advanced type. . {Sir E. Harland represents the leading industries ""of Belfast; Mr. Plimaoll is the great champion of the seamen; Sir Frederick Pollock is a legal authority on all subjects relating to contracts, Mr. T. Burt and Mr. W. Abraham represent the miners of the North' of England ; Sir ,W. I Lewis is largely interested in the Cardiff Docks. Mr.'G.Livesay is chairman of the South Metropolitan Gas | Company ; Tom Mann is well-known as the most prominent of tho labour I agitators Mr. H. Tait is the leader of the : Glasgow ; working men; Mr. E. Trow is secretary of the Board of Conciliation of the iron and steel trades ; Mr. M. Austin is secretary of the Irish Democratic Labour Federation, It has been urged, since the names were announced that Mr. M. Davitt, the prominent Irish agitator, and lately editor of the Labour World, should have beenincluded. But it was replied that he had been convicted of treason felony, had served several years in penal servitude, and could scarcely be addressed as he would bo in the Commission, as "a trusty and well-beloved subject of the Crown." Fault has also been found with tho Government for not having included any man prominently con-; nected with the colonies, considering

that the colonies have had a great * deal to do with some of the. matters coming before the Commission. But the selection is acknowledged to have been fairly made. "We would suggest that till this Commission reports tli«3 "Labour Bills" about which we hear so much of as being in preparation in Wellington, should be postponed. On this subject the deliberations of the Commission will bo of great impart-, ance, and they will be practicable! Whether or not the Commission will be able to sketch a machinery which will obviate all strikes, we cannot say, but it is obvious that they will be able to indicate within what limits the State may interfere by positive enactments in regard to hours of labour, picketing, responsibility of employers, legal action of trades unions, and the many questions upon which it is now desired to legislate. Our own Government have abundant work before them for next session, without these " Labour Bills," which, if brought up, will certainly stop other more pressing legislation, and in all probability will not be passed into law. On the great subject which has emerged in all recent strikes, we do not ' see that the Commission can' make any effective proposal. That subject, is the right of employers [ to engage whom they choose to do their I work. Employers naturally wish to I select the best workmen, and those who I are most respectable, sober, and steady. The union claim the right to say, "You shall employ whom we choose, and no others." The unions go further, and say, "We shall get the State to enact what are to be the hours of labour, we shall formulate the rates of pay, and shall nominate the men who alone shall be employed." On this point there has been no symptom of giving way 011 the side of the unions. Time after time they have fought for this principle, and have been beaten. But they never accept a defeat as a settlement. Probably in all this their . instinct leads them to a sound conclusion from their point of view. If .they gave up the principle of exclusive unionist employment they might; as well dissolve the unipns. On all other questions the Commission may propound a solution. We own that we fear : that this will prove insoluble.

By the death of the Earl of Clan car his eldest soil, Viscount Dunlo, who visited the colonics soon after his marriage with a London music hall singer, named Belle Bilton, succeeds to the title, and his wife, whom he unsuccessfully attempted to he divorced from, becomes an Irish countess. The war in Chili is being prosecuted with unabated vigour, and it is stated that ladies are selling their jewellery in order to provide funds for the insurgents, who threaten to bombard Valparaiso. The Eursuib of the Ifcata has been abandoned y the United ; States cruiser. ' The rebel vessel is now said to be making her way to Melbourne. Great excitement has been caused in Newfoundland by the; action of the French Admiral on the station enforcing the exclusive claims of the French fishermen to fish in George's Bay. - A plot against the Czar has been discovered at | Moscow, and in consequence extraordinary precautions have been taken by the authorities. Bread 'is tit ' famine prices in some parts of ; Germany in . consequence of the high corn duties,' and an. agitation, is' now oh foot to have them reduced. Italy! has' | announced her intention of renewing' the 1 Triple : Alliance. , Tho news that . Tom Sullivan has beaten G. Bubear, the English sculler, will ; not cause surprise ' hflre. Bubear : defeated the Aucklandcr . several weeks ago, but I Sullivan .was then ; ill, and his "recent win from Ch.is. Stephenson stamped him as of higher - grade " than Bubear. . - ,-r

■ Anionf." the passengers by the e.s. Takapunn, from Wellington yesterday, was the Rev. Thos. - Spurgeon/ who comes: to conduct a special evangelistic services in the Baptist churches of the city arid suburbs,: under the auspices of the New Zealand Baptist Union. * p;\ \.- ( Another of our pioneers has passed away in the person of Mrs. Maclean, wife of the late Mr. Robert Maclean, of Bleak House, Howick. The funeral took place yesterday. The cortege left her lnte, residence at half past eleven ; for ■ the Church of England Cemetery, the coffin being carried by hand at S the request of the employees on the estate. Many formor ones also came from a distance to take part . and show their respect for the deceased, The chief mourners were Mr. E. Maclean, Captain Bailey, Mrs. Bailey, Miss Bailey, Messrs. James, Robert, and Loftus Bailey, and other relations. Nearly all the residents of Howick, and a large number from Auckland followed, including Messrs. Robert Rose,/ James Russell, Angus McDonald, Charles Lewis, J. Wiseman, sen., Thomas Morrill,.: and J.' A. Pond. . The f remains were met at the churchyard gate ,by His Lordship Bishop Cowie, who conducted the service in the church, and also at the grave. Many old men arid women gathered around the grave of this benevolent lady, who will be much missed by the aged of Howick, as she was ever ready to comfort and help them, and also by all who needed her assistance and counsel. "

A number of frionds of Mr. W. S. Allen, says the To Aroha News, are desirous of petitioning the House, as soon after it meets as possible, to remove the disqualification imposed on him by the Judges in the lato election petition case, on the grounds that .ho - himself • was nob in the colony at the time tho election • took place, and that tho act for which lie was unseated and disqualified was one which in itself did not involve any moral turpitude, being more of the nature of an accident than a deliberate illegal practice. 'The punishment of having lost his seat in itself should, it is hoped, be considered sufficient; and tho remission of the disqualification, which as is very natural, Mr. Allen feels very keenly indeed, would bo a. grateful and generous act on tho part of tho Hoese. The petition is now being drafted, and printed copies of the same will bo forwarded to the various centres in i tho > Te Aroha electorate together with blank sheets for signatures. Theso, when signed, will be forwarded to Wellington) and the Hon. J. Bryco, who has been addressed on the subject, and who is strongly in favour of (.lio movement, has promised to assist in bringing the petition beforo the House at tho vary - earliest opportunity. It is earnestly hoped that the electors will throw all party feeling aside, and join in endeavouring to htivo such a stigma removed from a gentleman who all fully recognise was himself perfectly blameless in the matter.

The draughts match of ton games between Messrs. C. Gnnthorp and If. Henderson for the championship 'of Auckland, terminated on Saturday night, and the result was in the nature of a surprise, as a closer finish was anticipated. At the first sitting, on May 2:5, Mr. Henderson was a win ahead; at the second meeting, 011 Monday last, positions were reversed, and Mr. Gunthorp was a game to the pood ; and on Saturday the latter won both the games played, a " Kolso r and a "Switcher,' leaving the final score : Grecnthorp, five wins ; Henderson, two wins ; two games drawn. This was a very creditable performance agaifist so strong an opponent) as • Mr. Henderson, and the victor was heartily congratulated on his (success.

Thero was ono prisoner in tho lock-up lust evening for drunkenness, and & • man named Thomas Meiklo Ford, otherwise known as John Williams, who was arrested at Now Plymouth by Constable Roche, and remanded to Auckland on a charge of embezzling £5 Ss Id, belonging to Mr. Clow, of Papatoetoe. There is also a second charge of having on, the 13th of January, at Three Kings, white in the ploy of Mr. Thomas Bilhnjjton, received £1 Bs, and, failed to account. ' : v

• The Westminster Lambeth Qfl2etto,-oj ,11 bh April, thus refers to the case of M iss (Browning/of Napier,' referred to in another column, in some' correspondence 'between I'rofo3?or Aldis, of tlie Auckland University, and tho Minister of Education (the Hon.f W. P. Reeves):—"As ' the University of New Zealand was tho first in the British Empire to grant a degree to women, .that body would, it might well 'be imagined, have readily, continued to take the v lead, and open its dogrees to women holding the' Cambridge JDe'gree _ Certificate. ' This suggestion was made several months ago, and is very much strengthened by the fact which has since come to light, tint there is ab the ' present moment a lady holding- the ijost of assistant " mistress at s the ' Napier High School, to whom,- iif she Were a man, th fa New Zealand ' degreo; would • be - open. Miss Browning, who went to tho colony for reasons of health and to * join friends,- holds a Cam'ol idgo' degree certificate, and has taken honours in the 'Moral Science Tripos. : Soon after' her arrival, she, accordingly, applied to the Registrar, asking if the B.A. were open lo her. The.' reply was ' unsatisfactory, C fcnd feeling the , great disadvantage of: ibt having any academical position,: Miss drowning has carried her petition to the Sduite. ■ Professor and Mrs. Stcadman -Aldis, .'who"-were the earliest advocates of the tnu»h-needed reform, and several New Zealand graduates, have supported Miss Brownings application with a memorial, and their efforts have been cordially seconded by the pi«ss. Senates are, of course, slow in - their movements, bub it seems strange that the S«w Zealand authorities should 'need so mtith pressure as they have to mako a change which would ho "fully in accordance with tht principles of .their University charter, and would remove a glaring injustice." VThere can bo no doubt that Sit George j Grey's progress through Australia is like a triumphal procession. The 1 Sydney Bulletin says:—"Something worth seeing was that ceremony at Melbourne railway station when Grey, of Maoriland, and Muiiro, of Victoria, arrived from the Convention. There was a shouting multitude to welcome j Grey, and the old pro-consul •' looked like.a man about whom a nation might reasonably ! enthuse. But, ras for Munro, he was the ideal of a bagman who cameback from an unsuccessful trip,' and lis he jammed his hab down over his commonplace hoad and bolted for a cab with; his samples in his hand, he looked a very. miserable bagman, and one that travelled for.a firm in an exceedingly small way of business." This is rather hafd on Mr. Munro. • " Town v. Country Life" was the subject debated at the Mount Albert " Mutual" on Friday evening. Mr. GeorgeFowlds opened, in favour of town. ' Whilst admitting drawbacks— such?as undue competition, life at' high pressure, temptation to crime, and dissipation by both sexes—lie urged that these were counterbalanced by the numerous advantages of a social, religious, and educational kind. ' Mr. Sydney followed and pleaded the advantages of a country life, and' asserted that /settlers were not iso dependent for food supplies, better health was enjoyed, women-were more independent, there was more leisure " for study, and freedom from business worries, etc. Several members took part, and rendered the debate very interesting. . On a show of hands being called for,; the ' president declared a majority in favour of country lifs. The proceedings were enlivened by musical item's by the Misses Schnackenberg and Palairet.

Yesterday the Rev. W. C. Woodward, of the , Pitt .and Edwin , streets Primitive Methodist Church, preached his farewell services to large congregations. A valedictory soiree will be given to him on Wednesday evening, prior ; to his departure for Timaru to take charge of the Primitive Methodist Church there. During his two years' pastorate of the Newton Church, Mr. Woodward has endeared himself to the members of tho church and congregation, j by his faithful services arid high Christian: I character. His successor is expected shortly from England. It is stated that the lease of the property on the Panmure Road, intended to be.used by the Salvation Army as ■ an industrial farm for discharged prisoners is. practically completed." Ib has been judiciously chosen as to site and surroundings for the purpose intended. Captain Turton, - officer-in-charge, is showing his faith in the scheme by. his works. Me has agreed to forego salary until each year's dubal (£4O) is paid. & About three o'clock • on / Saturday afternoon the roof of the Royal Hotel, Grahams- > town, caught fire from va-spark blown.#■ from the -kitchen chimney. - When ■ discovered the fire had secured a good hold, bub by the copious ' use of '• Water •by ineatis of buckets it was soon ; extinguished, and j when the Fire Brigade arrived - their services were not required. Very little injury was done.

The chess match by. telegraph between Auckland and Wellington way resumed on Saturday evening last, when play was continued until midnight. Auckland has now won three games to Wellington's one ; and in most of the remaining games the advantage seems to lie with the former. ' Recently Some of the printers who figured among the " unemployed" in Wellington were informed that the Government would instruct the Government Printer to take on the men as far as possible, as the regular staff were making overtime during the session of Parliament. On Saturday the President of the Auckland Typogra phical Union (Mr. Jas. Regan) waited upon Mr. J. M. Shorn, M.H.R.,. to see if that gentleman, would interest himself in seeing the same measure of aid granted to certain Auckland printers, with families, out of work. Mr. Shera stated that he would communicate with ; the Government, and see what could ibo done in the mutter, and if they could be taken on temporarily during the session at the Government Printing Office.

The Sailors' Home is getting on very,! well, and the seamen ' are > very largely availing themselves of its , benefits, both of the ; mercantile marine and of the Royal navy. 'To ; the latter class it has •: been a great benefit, as the Sailors' Homes in the other colonies r are, they say, greatly inferior both in accommodation and management to tho Auckland : institution. Considerable changes have been made during tho past year, all in the direction of making the inmates more comfortable and of promoting their welfare. •' There are a number of workers who interest themselves in the seamen, socially and religiously, by holding, services .in the mission r hallboth on week days and • Sundays. The / annual ; general meeting of the members of tho , Sailors' Ilome Association will be held at tho Home on Tuesday,, tho lGth . instant, at half-past two o'clock in the afternoon. v Owing to tho attendance of Constable Gordon, of Whangarei, at the Supreme Court criminal sessions, Constable Groy has been transferred to that station. ... This evening, in the City Hall, the young people who rendered tho Queen's Birthday gathering so / successful will repeat > their programme. Thoro will also bo additional items" of a new and interesting character. Unreserved Choral Hall tickets will admit to the City Hall this evening. ■ The Western Star states that the amount of £620 has boon already subscribed towards defraying preliminary expenses in connection with the improvement of ■ the Rivorton harbour. - The annual public meeting of the Auckland Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society will be held on Monday evening > next, when tho Rev. 11. T. Robjohns, 8.A., the deputation from the parent society, and other friends, will give addresses. Mr. Robjohns has during the past week been holding meetings in some of tho country districts.

On Saturday night, " Run Wild " was repeated at the Opera House by Miss Jennie Lee's company. There was an excellent attendance in the lower parts of the theatre, and the play was well received; the principals being called before the curtain at the end of the second act. • " Run Wild " is to be produced this evoning, and to-morrow night will bo, the last opportunity of witnessing it. At he City Hall on Saturday evening Miss Amy Vaughan's Amazons again appeared, and were greetod by a largo and .enthusiastic audience; The performance consisted -of songs, instrumental music, step dances, and also several " j amusing comic sketches, the merriment called forth ; being at times very boisterous, and the applause most hearty. The entertainment concluded with a laughable farce, all the performers being well up in their parts.-

- Daring the Ipst few days of its' existence tho .Labour Commission has taken some im. porta evidence on sweating in - Sydne*' v l ' -'< It might have been thought (says a Sydney't'-J contemporary) that with our limited maniiV'Ktf fatJturing industries there was not much room at : present for, sweating; • but it an- "sfip pears that it doe? exist, and that the tailoi£t*:Sk's? ing fcrado lends itself to this abuse the most easily. A female witness deposed that she had clone the whole of the'eewing of a pair : of trousers for seven pence aad even toe ' % eigbtpf!n6o.-<.'iOf course it '-is all machine ''? 1 -:;'! work, and the sowing materials are pro- " ,'f vided, and the class of work is of the com- . monest'; but still tho remuneration is alto-I, *5| gether below what is necessary to maintain ; ; '••• a decent' existence. Tho Jews in Russia at- -•' this time aro suffering: so much peModutlonthat no one would wish to say any tiling to ■ increase racial or theological hatred. v But"; it would appear from - the evidence that in Sydney, as well as in the . east of London, iiffl Jews are among the greatest sinners in this&s&l , matter of sweating. They take very kindly to tho clothing business, and they can ope-• rate upon a number|of workwomen who have " 'Vr no means of protecting themselves againstthe grinding down of their wages.;' I Them r 'f are various ways 'n which the process works. ' ' In some shops o>v factories g-rls are taken ' in to learn. Sometimes th-iy get Ivnlf-a-crown a week, and sometimes Jure shillings," and when they begin to want more they are tckl they can go, and other raw hands tve v.V taken on to supply their places. Sometime men offer the large clothiers' to take vork home, and do ib a price less than it' Co3t>. at * % a factory,- and then they gather jgirli in overcrowded houses, - on : a - miserable pittance, and for long. hours, and get the HI work* doi.o cheaply. Some people -,*1)1 say why do tho girls do it; but it would i"P%Q seem that for every girl who throws up her, Tt work there are two ready to take her place.:' ; • •' And; yet, - all.. the while, householders " aro complaining that they cannot get ' domestic servants,'though' they would have (goo j f?3'.p wages,-goo'd food, and not over long hoars." <-*> The daughters of our mechanics prefer to ' t get a living by the needle to going to.' ; domestic per vice. There is a notion that it -Sh is more independent-, nob to say more gen-- ■ t001.,, Yet really, tho housemaid has far i-.v -more freedom of contract In choosing hup place and fixing her wages than the sewing. #irl has, and, as to having evenings free a»d I 4; V;; money to spend in finery, how much eharct of that does a girl get who has to make o-'?? living by sewing trousers at: cigiitpehce' a piece? i"."'• It is stated that the nitrate producers have 1 come- to an arrangement for restricting ship, V/ 4 nientsto the United States and Europe foe - > the next two years to 900,000 tons per. ■ annum; three-fifths falling to .the English - companies and two-fifths -to the cotwt producers. This year the shipments will resell, to 1,000,000 tons, but 1 the ;consumption for • the year ending last June wag 930,000 tons,' Ib has been evident for some time past that ' ■ I tho - nitrate, industry had been - overdone, *1/1 and that production isi being carried on at» ; loss to most "of the companies engaged in it. The proprietors, in > these circumstances/ J * after waiting Vain to see if a reduction ; in the price would lead to such an expansion ' ' in the consumption as to absorb the suplug',, Si| production, have at length determined to ;(:• follow the example set in other industries'^* '<•" similarly situated, and combine, as. far as j; : possible, k with a view to restrict the (utpul. - I The result so far is, we are informed, that.sfj I after very considerable difficulties, ha've'jfci been overcome, an agreement has • been ar- ,f ;J rived at by all the English companies. It is nob intended, we aro informed, to work 1 up the price of nitrate'to * point whioh might aff(?ob the volume sof /consumption, t bub only to raise it so as to give the pro-. : duccrs a fair profit on the capital embarked; • in the business. - • t ' - , oV*-''-is s t It is announced by advertisement that the . ' annual meeting;of Lodge Ari, 1.C., is to . beheld to-night tin the ? Freemasons' Hall, Princes-street. The business is of import- V ance '«t y' A ,( I The Town Clerk notifies that meter J supply quarterly accounts require to be paid - - on or before i the Bth instant; ' < Messrs. E. Cox and' Son, surgeon dentists,f"T S inform us that their additional rooms in theM» j | A.M.P. Society's i' Buildings, < 148, Queen-;:...; J street, have been painted, decorated,' ana, ' 1 fitted up with =; every convenience : and appli- I ance, and with those previously rented lorra 1 a very complete suite, admirably Adapted h; i 1 dental purposes. . ,<.•, 1f v» J Th e seeretary o£ the Huntly Disaster Ijjuut; * desires to acknowledge, with thanks,. Sa § receipt of the following amountsßalm| 1 of the McClelland subscription. £1 ;< collected K by Mr, Adam Batclay- Td Kopuru,''?2»i-'/ § collected by Mr. Rob. : Lindsay, Wairafis | :' £1 collected by the New Zealand Heralo, i £18 18s; collected by Mr.- William White, || Mercury Bay, 17s 6d. * | To-day the tucboat Rotoiti is to be sold !y . % | J'order of the liquidators of the Auckland Taj-fegj S boat Company. The vessel-is in first-class | order, ana steams well on a very small con- • g ; sumption of coal. • The sale takes : place atT^ 1 | noon, at the rooms of, Mr. R. C. Cany2o3, .' .5 f Queen-street. _ " Jp/.j