NOTES AND COMMENTS ON LABOUR QUESTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14220, 17 November 1909, Page 5

NOTES AND COMMENTS ON LABOUR QUESTIONS.

BT ARTISAN.

Employees' unions registering 3918 members are now registered under the Arbitration Act. ■'''", > ;.

The total number of trades unionists registered under the Act is now 49,347. ' A few unions are registered under the Trade Union Act.

The drawing of the art union m connection with the late Labour Day sports will take place on the 25th inst., at the Swanson-street rooms.

The Federated Seamen's Union of Australasia will send a representative to England in 1910 to attend an international conference of seamen.

The delegates representing the Auckland Trades Council gave! an interesting resume of the proceedings of the late conference, and made special reference to the hospitality of the Working Men's Club in Wellington, which had made the delegates honorary members during their stay in that city. The Council passed a resolution recording their thanks to the club, which the secretary was instructed to forward to the secretary of the club at Wellington.

The next, sittings of the Trades and Labour Conference will be held in Auckland at Easter, the conference thus reverting to the system that was in vogue for many years. The practice of holding the conference in Wellington, during the sittings of Parliament is not proving very satisfactory. The ' Auckland Council has been appointed the executive for the coming year, and is placed rather at a disadvantage, having barely three months wherein to deal with the subjects passed at the late conference, and .to prepare for the next. The principal item to engage its attention is to formulate a scheme for financing an organiser, to stump the Dominion on behalf of the proposed federation of labour.,

The coal strike in New South Wales seems likely to develop into the biggest industrial disturbance since the memorable strike of 1890. A feature in connection with the strike is the suddenness of the developments leading to the cessation of work. The miners have apparently chosen their own time, and have caught the mineowners with short supplies on hand. They are prepared for a long and bitter struggle, and.have also enlisted the, sympathy and support of all the unions in Australia. Despite the anti-strike laws.of the State, it is most probable that the strike will spread, gathering in many unions outside the mining industry. So far the strike has not affected New Zealand, though it is considered probable in labour circles that an increase in the price of coal will.be made. The coal miners of the Dominion intend to contribute to the funds of the strikers, but have no intention of,striking in sympathy, though should 1 coal be exported to Newcastle developments may be expected.

The St. Helens Hospital and regulations governing the admission of patients therein was the subject of a good deal of discussion at the last meeting of the Auckland Trades and Labour Council. The question was brought up by the case of a lady who, it was alleged, was refused admission without the payment of the admission fee. Mr. H. L. Horning stated that while he was in Wellington the facts of the case had been forwarded to him, and he had laid the matter before the Hon. Geo. Fowlds, who had promised an inquiry. After a general discussion, the Council carried a resolution entering an emphatic protest against the system, which, allegedly, required the wives of workers, who were in poor circumstances, to go before the members of the Charitable Aid Board, and be the subject of inquiries by the members of such Board; and the "Council further expressed the view that the St. Helens Hospital should be free to all workers' wives, without any reference to the Charitable Aid Board whatever.