THE LABOUR LAWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1199, 22 February 1895, Page 33

THE LABOUR LAWS.

The Minister of Labour is determined that no one shall have any excuse for remaining in ignorance of the labour laws of the Colony. Not long since we mentioned that the whole of the Acts which have been passed for the purpose of regulating the conditions affecting employer and employed had been printed in the form of a portable little volume of 311 pages. A further service in the same cause has now been rendered by the department in the publication in pamphlet form of a well-written "Introduction to the Labour juaws of New Zealand," which has been compiled at the direction of the Minister. It is in fact a digest of those laws. The following passage is from the opening paragraphs:—" The general tendency of these laws is to ameliorate the position of the worker by preventing social oppression through undue influences, or through unsatisfactory conditions of sanitation. It will undoubtedly be found that with the advance of time these laws are capable of improvement and amendment; but they have already done much to make the lives of operatives of fuller and more healthy growth, and their aim is to prevent the installation of abuses before such, abuses attain formidable dimensions. The manufacturing population in New Zealand differs fiom that in some other of the Australasian Colonies by its wide dispersion. The capital city has hitherto been unable to draw to itself the industrial ability of the other provincial centres; and not Only do Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin \ ie with Wellington as centres of population, but also as nuclei of commercial activity. In the second-class towns, such as Nelson, Napier, Invercargill, &c, many important works are being carried on ; while even in the villages and rural districts the progress of new settlement necessitates the manufacture of articles which in older communities are produced in specialised localities. Men scattered widely at the numerous occupations of colonial countrylife shearing, harvesting, bushfelling, road-making, or sailing coastal vessels, &b. —require legal protection against tlie dangers and disabilities to which their callings expose them. This general dispersion of industry necessitates not only a wide system of supervision, but legislative measures of a peculiar character, at once sufficiently elastic" to comprehend many varieties of function, and yet rigid to crush any apparent abuse." Then follows, under" separate headings, a clear and concise statement of the leading provisions of the various Acts, and there is also an appendix giving information as to the operations of the Department of Labour. Among other interesting facts it states, that a factory inspector on salary is stationed in each of the chief towns, and that about 137 others act as inspectors in addition to discharging divers Government duties. There were some 26,000 persons registered as employed in factories in New Zealand during ; but the new Factory Act will cause a far larger number of workers to be included in the returns. There are some 7000 shop assistants affected by the Shops and Shop Assistants Act. We understand that this valuable little broclmrc is to be sold at the low prica of 2d, and every worker should certainly make it his or her business to procure a copy and to master its contents.

The Hawke's Bay Operative Bootmakers' Union has been registered as a trade union,

fc——— "" ggg Mr J. F. Mercier, organiser of the New Zealand Workers' Union, arrived from Napier by the s.s. Rotomahana on Friday morning, after completing an extensive tour of tho Wairarapa and Hawko's Bay district. Mr Mercier informs us that attempts which were made in the Wairarapa district to reduce the price of shearing were defeated owing to the organisation of last year. At stations where disputes arose over the bad accommodation, the grievances have been remedied ; but at several stations the accommodation is still very bad. After a complete canvass of the Wairarapa, where a largo onrolment was recorded, Mr Mercier proceeded to the Rangitikei, where he found the grievances amongst workers lighter than in the Wairarapa. He rode to Inland Patea, visiting the co-operative works and tho Awarua block'. At Moawhanga he hold a large meeting, and here and at surrounding stations 150 members wore enrolled. The accommodation for shearers at some places at Patea and in the Hawke's Bay district he reports as even worse than in the Wairarapa. At Hastings an enthusiastic meeting was hold. Sydney, February 14. ■ The annual Convention of the Australian Workers' Union is being hold at Albury. New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland are represented. A letter was read from the general secretary of the New Zealand Workers' Union congratulating the kindred body in Australia on the stand taken during the late shearing strike. The letter states that the aption of the Australian union assisted to prevent shearing troubles in New Zealand, and urges the Australian workers to follow the example of the New Zealand brethren in electing a democratic Government.

•fV Sydney, February 18. the annual Conference of the Australian Wtokers' Union, which is being held at Albury, has adopted the basis of a scheme for the amalgamation of the Unions of all trades and callings throughout the colonies. It is proposed that the membership shall include adults of both sexes. Newcastle, February 14.

The men employed in Brown's, the Back Creek and the Duckenfield mines, have rejected the proposal from the owners for a reduction in rates, and a strike is considered probable. , Newcastle, February 18. ■Mr Curley, secretary of the Miners' Association, advised the Greta miners, who iavebeen on strike for many months, to return -to work on the best terms obtainable. He said the Association is hopelessly Ibeaten, and the funds totally exhausted, while the lodges refuse to collect the necessary levies. "The minerß accepted his advice, but tne company refuses to recognise them as a, lodge, and will only deal with the men individually. j |There are further signs of a disruption an the Association. The men employed in the Newcastle Coal Company's pits have decided by a large majority to secede from the Union. So desirous are the Unionist miners lately Employed on co-operative work of obtaining employment, that they made an 'offer to the company to cut coal at from 4<i: to 6d less than tho price paid to the non-Unionists. Melbourne, February 18. The Wallsend miners by 154 to 80 docided to withdraw from the Northern Miners' Association; but 360 members abstained from voting. The meeting also decided to request tho committee to reorganise the lodge as a separate independent body. Adelaide, Febuary 10.

Mr Price, a Labour member, has been committed for trial on a charge of libelling a local firm. While addressing the electors, he asserted that the firm, by •undue influence, obtained important concessions from the Government and the Bail way Commissioners. London, February 18.

The Times, referring to the attitude assumed by the colonies against coloured

labour on the mail steamers, advises Australia not to imperil the Oriental trade for tho sake of racial prejudices.