NOTES AND COMMENTS ON LABOUR QUESTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12833, 5 April 1905, Page 1 (Supplement)

NOTES AND COMMENTS ON LABOUR QUESTIONS.

[by artisan.] i

Victorian A.M.A. has a membership of 6000. Fishermen, are required to register their boats for the ensuing year on or before the 15th inst. The labour bureau has been very busy of late registering all factories under the Act. The number will show an increase over previous years. By the introduction of the Owens' bottleblowing machine 2200 members of the Glass Bottle Blowers' Association, U.S.A., will be thrown out of employment. President Spence, M.P., recently presented to the registrar of the Federal Arbitration Court an application for the registration of the A.W.U. under the Act. " I have found it better to pay good men good wages, give them good conditions, good food, and •wholesome recreation."Sugargrower Shannon (Mackay). The boom in N.S.W. trade unionism still continues. The number of organised workers registered under the Arbitration Act this year is 81,933, an increase of 11,000 on the year. The South Australian Telegraph Linemen's Union presented Federal Labour member Batchelor with a walking-stick suitably inscribed in recognition of services rendered the union in both State and Federal Parliaments. Men work harder and longer to-day than in medieval times, despite the wonderful labour-saving inventions, and the reward of the labourer is less than it was in the so-called Dark Ages! The production of wealth is five hundred fold greater than then. •An important movement is taking place in Lancashire for an increase of wages in the textile trades. The NorthercuCounties' Weavers' Amalgamation have opened negotiations with the Employers' Association with a view to obtaining the return of per .cent, deducted from the wages list agreed upon in 1898. A New York union has resolved that domestic employees must be called "servants" no longer, and that they must be brought under the laws and regulations relating to skilled labour. Nature made the "woman" and money the "servant." At last this is recognised and that the home is an honourable field of industrial labour. Giving evidence before the West Australian Immigration Commission, Henry Cooper said lie had been in touch with the cotton industry in America and the West Indies, and in his opinion Australia was well adapted for cotton-growing. White labour was utilised in America, and could be utilised here with similar success. The labour market is still overstocked in all departments, and the number of worker.-? arriving from Australia every week may create a, real unemployed difficulty-in the near future. The eiiorts of the Labour Department will, according to present indications, be severely taxed during the coming winter to find l work for all applicants. Labour member Kenna addressing the White Labour Conference: "With regard! to the canegrower, he would quote Mr. Banks, who got £30 per acre for his crop of sugar, and others made as much as £50. If canegrowers could not pay white men's wages on those returns when, the wheat, farmer paid - such wages on a return of £3 per acre the less said the better." The Wellington branch of the Independent Political Labour League is taking an active part in the forthcoming municipal elections, and will nominate six candidates, who are known as the " labour six." The Auckland branch will not nominate any candidates, but will support those candidates who are in favour, of the league's municipal platform, •which will be submitted to all candidates. Statistics have been collected, both in the United States and in England, as to the causes of unemployment with a strange similarity of the results.. The English ones, by Charles Booth, are well known, and show that 18 per cent, only are due to personal misconduct, 14 per cent, of which are from drink. In America the causes due to the individual himself are, 21 percent., 11 per cent", of this being attributable to drink. Several shipments of wheat in small sacks have been landed in Auckland recently. and were handled with far greater ease than the old style of sacks could lie. The withdrawal of the regulation governing the size of sacks by the Minister for Railways is generally unfavourably commented upon in labour circles. The Otago Trades and Labour Council has forwarded the Minister a- resolution protesting against the withdrawal, and asks for the reintroduction of the regulation. The Labour Representation Committee of England, which represents some million organised workers, recently carried the following reso'ution "with acclamation": — " This annual conference of the L.R.C. here--by declares that ids ultimate object shall be the obtaining for the workers the full results of their labour by the overthrow of the present competitive system of capitalism, and the institution of a system of public ownership of all the means of production. distribution, and exchange." It is quite probable that France will face a great national strike next year. It has been arranged that on May 1, 1906, every French trade unionist will, at the conclusion of the eighth hour of his day's work, " quietly and peacefully leave the factory." Next morning he will present himself "for a second day's work of eight hours' duration. As the employers arc not likely to agree to this peaceful programme, it is almost certain there will 'be a trial of strength between the workers and the capitalists.

There is an attractive character sketch of Mr. John Burns in tho World's Work, which well describes the British labour leader. He is 45 and looks 55. says Mr. George Turivbull, who contributes the sketch, but his ami " feels like 25." Ho has a rebellious disposition, kept, under a strong restraint, and Nature has made, him a tighter. His own explanation of his sympathetic understanding of the masses is that from infancy he has been in contact with poverty of the worst possible description, but bis influence over, the workers has probably a more potent cause. The secret of his power, Mr. Turnbull tells us, is that he is entirely disinterested. He is thus able to throw his whole amazinsr force into whatever cause he takes up. He has a wide knowledge of " the best that has ' been thought and known in the world," i and he speaks upon, the question of the moment, not only from a practical acquaint* 1 ance with the facts, but also from a careful study of the authorities who stand on his carefully-arranged bookshelves. He has little leisure for recreation now. 'but occasionally he steals an hour on the river, or. in summer, devotes e half-day to cricket. He learnt London thoroughly by tramping its streets. In this busy age"he must needs use a bicycle. A ten days' holiday this year was spent marching with the soldiers in the army manoeuvres, and in the two hundred miles tramp ho acquired practically the information which most members; of Parliament are content to take on trust. His industry is unwearied. "I have no time to be ill," be said ones, in. reply to a question about his health. Assuredly li*» never spares himself when there is good to be done for his beloved city. "I see coming into the lace of this London of ours." he has said, "the. realisation of my early dreams and visions, the rearing in happy homes of strong men and fair women, from whose loins will come proud, healthy, and strong children, rejoicing because they knew not sorrow in their childhood nor the lack of proper food." And perhaps this sentence is the best summary of his ideals. ,