NOTES AND COMMENTS ON LABOUR QUESTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13393, 23 January 1907, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS ON LABOUR QUESTIONS.

[BY ARTISAN.]

The New South Wales Political Labour Leagues open their annual conference at Sydney on the 25th inst.

The recent rise of wages given by the companies at Broken Hill has since been counterbalanced by a rise in house rents.

The Christ church branch of the Carpenters and Joiners' Society lias contributed £5 towards the Transvaal Labour party's fund.

Union secretaries arc- requested to have all returns required under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act sent- in to the registrar before the end of the- month.

Union meetings for the ensuing week: — Trades and Labour Council, 23rd inst. ; Coopers'. 25th inst. ; Political Labour League (annual meeting), 30th inst.

All shopkeepers who wish to close on a day other than the specified weekly halfholiday must notify the inspector "of the day 011 which they wish to close forthwith.

The secretary of the Auckland Trades and Labour Council is inviting the various trades councils to submit items for consideration at the next conference, to be held at Dunediu at Easter.

The Curriers' Union has had a very successful year, all the journeymen being in the union and no untinaneial members. The Coopers' and Fellmongers' Unions also have had 11 good year, having all the journeymen in the fold.

Mr. Oliver Mason, the secretary of the Political Labour League, is about again, having made a good recovery from the operation which lie had to undergo recently. He speaks very highly of the treatment and attention bestowed 011 him by the medical and nursing staffs at the District Hospital.

M'r. J. K. Kneen, secretary of the Auckland Seamen's Union, leaves for Wellington on Thursday, to confer with Mr. Belcher prior to his departure for England. While in Wellington Mr. Kneen will make a presentation to Mr. Belcher on behalf of the Auckland seamen, as an appreciation of his many services.

The annual meeting of the Carters' Union was held last week, when the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: — President. Mr. C. Weaver; vice-presidents, Messrs. D. Webb and Major Mac Nab: secretary. Mr. Geo. IJavis. The report stated that there were 500 members now in the union, and the balance-sheet showed a credit balance. The year's record was better than that of any previous 12 months.

Bishop Fallows, of St. Paul's Reformed Episcopal Church, Chicago, in a recent sermon, declared himself a firm believer in trade unionism, and said it was: nonsense to affirm that the trade unionist infringed on the constitutional rights of the nonunionist, and .added : "Unionism is the verysalvation of .labour; perish every effort to destroy it. *• The non-unionist is reaping the benefit of the sacrifices and labour of his union fellows, and he has a right'to recognise the saeredness of his obligation to them."

Under the Government advances to workers' system the fees fixed are: With application for loan, 7s 6d: for each and every inspection of dwelling necessary while in course of erection, 7s fad; the mortgage is prepared free (except for cash disbursements) ; for a discharge of mortgage the fee is ss; for execution of consent by the superintendent to any document, ss; for the production of title deeds. ss. No application can be proceeded with till the valuation of the security has been paid .for. Tho valuation and inspection fees must be paid, whether the loan asked for is granted or not.

Work is still very plentiful about Auckland, and is again in swing after the recent, heavy rains and Hoods. The building and allied trades still keep brisk and there is every indication of their continuing so for some time. Furniture trades are easing a little. Coachbuiklers are fairly busy. Engineering, l>oiierinaking, and moulding arc scill busy. Clothing factories are busy. Order tailors are busy. Boot factories are fairly busy. Work is plentiful on the wharves. The recent Hoods having caused a large amount- of damage to the roads, etc., in the country districts, a large number of men will be required for repairs, and a large number are at present engaged on the repairing of the railways. The sawmills are all fairly busy, and, as a result of the floods, have plenty of logs to keep going with.

" Not only do women forge chain in Crady Heath. They also make bricks. Amman who has ever done labouring work will know that brickmaking is in some respects harder work than navvying. There is the incessant monotonous stooping and lifting. I personally have worked both at brickmaking and at navvying, and my verdict is give me navvying in preference. There is more variety in the efforts the body has to make, and at the end of the day a man feels less tired. Of the two I should say that brickmaking was even more injurious to a woman than ehainmaking. It was pitiful to watch these women. In fact, to tell the truth, the poor things didn't look like "women at all. The heavy labour had taken, the woman shape from their bodies. The softness of the sex had gone from them. One hardly likes to describe them." —From "Wander Pictures,"' by Bart. Kenned v.

The Scaffolding Inspection Act of ]90b is now in force as from January 1. 1907. and Mr. Hugh Gresham has been appointed local inspector, and his office is situated at the local Labour Bureau. Mr. Gresham will supervise all scaffolding coming within the provisions of the Act in his district, which comprises the city of Auckland, the boroughs of Mount. Eden, Purnell, Newmarket, Grey Lynn, Birkenhead, (Jambridge, Devonport, Gisborne, Onelnmga, Thames, Waihi, and Whangarei. How Mr. Gresham is to satisfactorily carry out his duties over such a wide area is a bit of a conundrum. The Act in itself is an excellent one, and badly needed, but the regulations attached are absurd. For instance. ladders for bricklayers, plasterers, and painters are specified to be made of clean Oregon, kauri, red or white pine, to be. constructed of 3in by 2iti stiles and 3in by lin battens, partly sunk in stiles, and firmly nailed or screwed. Batten ladders exceeding 14ft in length shall be of heavier material, and constructed to the satisfaction of the inspector. Batten ladders have long since been out of date, and a. lighter and stronger article substituted in the "rounds." Anything more cumbersome or absurd than the batten ladder in the construction of a. modern building is hard to imagine. The ladder outfit of the Auckland City Fire Brigade is supposed to be up to date in all particulars, yet it would stand tiki risk of being condemned under the Act. Swing stages are practically wiped out, and rendered useless under the regulations controlling their erection and use. Their weight under the new regulations would alone prevent their being handled with safety. The regulations appear to have been drawn up without the assistance of anyone familiar with the use of and erecting of scaffolds and ladders. Taken as a body, the contractors and painters of Auckland have one and all excellent fit-outs of gear, etc.. for the use of their men, and under the regulations will have to renew it with a heavier and unhandy lot, which will entail more likelihood of accident owing to it being so cumber-' some. I trust that the authorities will see their way clear to obtain expert assistance, and 1 issue regulations enabling the use of more up to date and safe appliances.