OUR LETTER HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11734, 16 August 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

OUR LETTER HOME.

Parliament has not been particularly active during the past three weeks and there is little of interest . to the outside world in the business transacted. ' The Referendum Bill W as'thrown out by the Legislative Council. The Government Advances to Settlers Bill to empower the Go-vernor-in-Council to raise a loan of £2.000,000 for the purpose of making further advances to settlers has passed its second reading. Many rumours have been current with resard to the finances of the colony running out and the need for further "borrowing, and Mr. Seddon himself ], as admitted that Parliament is forcing the expenditure at too fast a rate and that the Government is somewhat embarrassed in its finance. It is expected, however, that the Financial Statement, which should fullv explain the position, will be read in the House to-night. The Js t ew Zealand Herald of to-mor-row's date containing the Financial Statement Will just catch the mail and J should reach England along with to-day's Summary.

Much pointed criticism has recently been passed by manufacturers and others on the Factories Bill, another of Mr. Seddon's measures which threatens the existence of many of our colonial industries. By this'Bill the hours of labour are limited to 45 nominally, but by provisions insisting upon an interval of one hour after four hours of continuous work are really reduced to 44 hours per week, both for male and female workers. The law as it now stands sufficiently protects women and young persons, making, as it does, the legal 43 hours per week, and so far as men are concerned the Arbitration Court has already decided that in boot manufacturing it is necessary to fix the hours at 48, in order to compete with foreign goods, notwithstanding a heavy protective tariff. With regard to overtime men are, by this Bill, thought to require the same protection as women and young persons. Under this Act no person is allowed to work overtime for more than three hours in one day, or more than twice in-a week, nor more than 30 clays in a year, nor on any half-holiday or , holiday. As applicable to women and young persons the present law restricting overtime to two consecutive days, or 28 clays in the year, is ample protection for them. In its application to men the proposed alterations would seriously hamper many industries, especially where a rush of work unexpectedly happens. There is also a provision that all men shall receive full pay for six holidays during the year, for which employers get no return, and that women and young persons should be paid for one more holiday than at present. These additions only add to the burdens of the already heavily-taxed employers which many industries can ill afford to pay without charging the extra cost to the public, which must inevitably lead to. great dissatisfaction. All over the colony employers have met and protested . against the Bill, the general opinion being well voiced by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce in the following protest: — "If this meddlesome class of legislation is to be chronic, continually interfering, as it does, with the existing conditions in the working of factories, then it cannot fail to have a most injurious effect on the industries of the colony by disheartening the most pushing and energetic men, restricting the employment of capital, and will most assuredly retard the progress of the colony and diminish the earnings of the employees." The Bill has been sent to the Labour Bills Committee of the House, and employers' associations from all parts of the colony are sending witnesses to give evidence against it.

Even the Premier seems to be getting sick of his own labour legislation. A deputation representing several trades unions waited on him the other day. The object of the deputation was to "better the workins; of labour legislation." They asked that disputes should be heard in central places only, that an association of unionists should be organised in each district, and that the representatives of this organisation should have free railway passes. The Premier replied both in sorrow and in anger. He said that if things went on as they were doing in the labour world "there would be a breakdown;" that the labour organisations "were riding the thing to death ;" that both sides getting sick of it all; that if the Arbitration Court did not get its work squared up another judge would have to be appointed; that employers did not want to be everlastingly in a turmoil;" that unionists "must act with great circumspection or they would have public opinion against them." That is the "render's judgment on the present condition of affairs. Precisely ! all that Mr. Seddon says is true, and ne. might say ten times more. But Wh ° is to blame 1 Why, he himelf - He has done it. And he has :3?ne it for political purposes in the R °j , of t,le strongest warnings. Mr. fceddon's position is altogether a naiculous one. Contrast his latest iterances with regard to the worklnS , of his labour legislation with -J a *t..ne has been telling Great "main and the rest of the world. *£• Reeves tells in London in pub"c addresses that the colony he rePresents owes its prosperity in great : measure to his labour legisla--on - He says that the colony is in Deconditron of absolute industrial jeace -There are no strikes, and all "spates are settled speedily withI vg any turmoil or agitation. Mr. Jeeves gets £1500 a year for repeatSat §& The Premier «*■ hei,e ther fi -» ngs g0 on as the y are g° in s nere will be a breakdown, and that Soil » V^ dustrie9 - are "in a turthe trnfK IC T. P ? liticiaa is s P eakin 8 on! T h ■ ■ li is «3 uite cl ear that ttuQf u° Ur great labour authorities be asseverating what is not

The Labour Bills Committee have brought down their report on the Shops and Offices Bill. Generally speaking, the wholesale warehouse clauses aire struck out, but the sanitation and extra time book provisions still apply to warehouses and banks, and insurance officials remain within the scope of the Bill. To the interpretation of " shop" is added a proviso that it shall not include any warehouse doing wholesale business. Under the heading of hours of employment in shops, it is provided that all shops shall be closed at six o'clock in the evening on four working days in each week, and at one o'clock in the afternoon on the statutory closing day, and shall remain closed during the rest of the day. - Under the same head it is provided that a shop assistant shall not be employed in or about a shop or its business for more than

five hours (instead of four) except on the day when a half-holiday is observed, without an interval of at least one hour for a meal, nor at any time between the hours of six o'clock in the evening and half-past six (instead of eight) in the morning, except on Christmas Eve, and one day in each week. Extension of hours for stock-taking purposes is grantable on the written application of the occupier, and shall not exceed four hours a clay on 30 clays in the year. Wages or salaries must be paid in offices at intervals not greater than a fortnight. In regard to exemptions as to employment of office assistants after office hours, the overtime provision in section 24 is struck out. The powers conferred on the inspector to take action to prevent an unhealthy person working in food shops are struck out, and instead it is provided that the inspector shall in such case report the matter to the public healtV officer. A new clause provides that if any shop assistant or office assistant is employed later than half-an-hour after the. prescribed time of closing, the employer commits an offence.

The Government, it is said, does not intend to proceed with the State Fire Insurance Bill this session. It is probable that an expert, or a small body of experts, will be appointed to go carefully into the Bill, with the object of advising the Government as to whether the proposed scheme is feasible, and if so in what direction, if any, the measure should be amended. This work will be concluded before Parliament again meets, and with the information so obtained members will be enabled to form a much more accurate opinion than is now possible. An agitation against trawling in the Hauraki Gulf has been going on during the past few weeks. The •line fishermen contend that trawling inside the gulf is diminishing the fish supply and they are petitioning Parliament to prohibit trawling inside the gulf.Oi-i. Since* last mail left a poll on the question of rating on unimproved values has been taken in Auckland. The matter was a serious one for all propertyowners in the colony and was most stubbornly fought out, with the result that the Single Tax party, who ere the originators of the proposal, were completely defeated, the proposed new system of rating being rejected by 1697 votes to 753 votes. The existing law allows any borough by a poll of ratepayers to adopt this system of rating, entirely exempting buildings from municipal taxes. The Government, however, have a Bill before Parliament which would do away with the ratepayers' poll and - make " unimproved land values" the only basis of municipal taxation in all parts of the colony. It was recognised on all sides that if the Auckland poll'went in favour of the new system of rating the compulsory Bill applying to the whole colony would be easily rushed through Parliament. With this in view the Single Tax party put all their strength into the Auckland contest, but, as stated above, were signally defeated. It is to be hoped the Premier, after the unmistakable expression of public opinion, will drop the Bill, which is designed to force upon the entire colony a system of local rating upon unimproved values which the first populous centre to vote on the question has utterly refused to accept. Auckland has so expressed itself that for the Government to persist with this Bill, for Parliament to sanction it, would be an act of dictation, a measure of tyranny,; surpassing any that has yet been inflicted upon local governments. We are certain that the sister cities will in this unitedly follow the lead of Auckland and that in the smaller boroughs the tide has been turned against the erstwhile triumphant march of this pretentious but fallacious'' system.

The work of constructing the lines for the Auckland electric tramways has begun. A public ceremony took place on August 1 when the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. Alfred Kidd) broke the first, ground at the junction of Hobson-street and Custom-street The Electric Tramways Company afterwards entertained a large gathering of representative citizens in the Star Hotel. The function was a most successful one and great satisfaction was expressed with the announcement made by Mr. P. M. Hansen, representative of the Tramways Company, that the official opening of the electric tramways would take place in seven or eight months' time. Just before the last mail left Dr. John Logan Campbell, who was chosen Mayor of Auckland, specially to officiate at the reception of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, retired from the Mayoralty. The vacancy, in terms of the Municipal Corporations Act, had to be filled by the Council, and by a unanimous vote the Council elected Mr. Alfred Kidd,' who was acting-Mayor during Dr. Campbell's term of office. Very stormy weather has prevailed all over New Zealand during the past few weeks, but the only serious casualty reported is the wreck of the barque Lizzie Bell, bound from Wellington to Newcastle in ballast, on the .West .Coast of this island.

r e Unfortunately, the wreck of the vesie sel was accompanied by the loss oi ly 12 of the crew. The barque Otago, :e bound from Port Stephens to Timi- am with a cargo of hardwood timber, )- put into Auckland in distress last is Saturday. On the voyage the vessel Is met with extremely heavy weather, 1. during which the mainmast weaks ened to such an extent that for the it safety of the crew she ran in to •- Auckland, where repairs will be g effected. t The attention of the Auckland e District Board of Conciliation has % been for the past fortnight occupied in hearing a dispute referred to ti them between the Auckland Carters' 1 Industrial Union of Workers and t the Auckland master carters. The :1 dispute embraces several branches t of trade employing carters, viz., a, contractors, bakers, grocers, confcci tioners and many others. About t 400 employers have been joined in s the citation and a small army of t witnesses have already been exf amined, and many more have yet to c be called. The employers contend t that if the demands of the* union are , granted the result to them will be ; disastrous. One contractor empioyI' ing 700 men in various industries ; represented to the Board that he i would have to forfeit several con- • tracts that were barely paying their i way and dismiss the carters. Many , business men have already dispensed , with their carters and employ con- . tractors, while many others threaten ' to follow suit. Of eight disputes referred to the Conciliation Board since January last, the parties have declined to accept the recommendations in six of them, and they have been therefore referred to the Arbitration Court.