LABOUR NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5022, 21 July 1903, Page 3

LABOUR NOTES.

THE MINERS’ CONGRESS. (From Our Special Correspondent). LONDON, June 12. Some of tho speeches niado at the Miners’ International Congress that has just ended at Brussels aro worthy of,careful attention. The day the minimum wage for coal minors was discussed a Welshman, Air Abraham, tho Member for Glamorganshire, Rhondda Valley, and known all over tho United Kingdom a.s “Mahon,” was in tho chair. Tho comparative position of various countries with regard to tile important question mentioned was clearly brought out. Tho minimum wage lor coalminers was first adopted in England in 1893 and fixed at nearly a third above tho wages ruling five years before that. The principle lias Just boon established ia South Wales and ono of the English delegates contended that it might now be said that SO per cent, of tho coalminers in tho United Kingdom had obtained a living wago. The wages earned in England, ho said, wero 20 per cent, more than tho minimum fixed in ’93 or 50 per cent, more than in 1883. Tiro British maximum wage was fixed at GO per cent, moro than in 1833. A French delegate argued that a minimum wago should not bo based on tho amount of coal won bub on the fact that if a man worked all day he required sustenance whatever the amount of coal lie won. In Franco they had petitioned their Parliament for a law nob fixing a minimum wago but giving facilities for tho establishment of such a wage by a mutual understanding. In France tho average coal-mind's wago was G francs 24 centimes a day (equal to about five shillings and two-pence English money), which meant that some miners only earned 31 francs a day while others earned eight or more. Such wide differences ho thought unjustifiable and the result of favouritism. A Belgian delegate quoted figures to prove that coal-minors wages were lower in Belgium than in France and argued tiiab tho councils of arbitration recently sot up there wero inefficient. The coalminers asked for a living wage so that they might live with some degree of comfort for, even now, cattlo were often better cared for. In Germany it appears that in only a few districts the minimum wage lias been adopted. In Australia, if the delegate from that country is to be relied upon, there is no such system and often a man will not earn a florin a dav (not quite two shillings). By.tho Austrian Constitution there was freedom of meeting, but as soon as tiie miners mot tho local authorities scut soldiers to disperse them. Finally a resolution was unanimously passed to the effect that all nationalities represented at tho congress should endeavour to obtain a minimum wago. The most significant event at tho congress undoubtedly was tho discussion that preceded the resolution passed iti favour of direct parliamentary representation of labour. An English delegate introduced it and said that oven if workmen obtained vast influence in Parliament ho thought they would nob uso it to secure as many privileges and emoluments for themselves as the members of tho middleclasses had done. Tho coal-mincrs of those English and "Welsh constituencies now supported direct representatives in the House, and" that system would be increased. The Miners Federation had aii’oady received DIG,OOO towards tlio ejection funds by each of 350,000 miners giving a shilling annually. . tlio foreign delegates who spoko in support of the resolution pointed out the importance of this action of tlio Miners Federation. They saw that it proved that the British Trades Unions had now abandoned their old neutral stand-point in regard to politics and greeted it as tlio most hopeful ,uews ever given to these congresses. They prophesied that if tho labour-members in tlio House of Commons wero really to bo independent of present political parties they would inevitably drift into tho Socialist camp and thus assimilate completely with the Continental Trades Unionists. Tho discussions upon old ago pensions and appointment of mine inspectors that followed fel] quite flat compared with tiio represotation affair, but on tho last mornling of tho congress thoro was a discussion upon the terrible ravages of tlio “worm” disease in some of tiio European coal-miners. At first the disease was attributed to anaemia, but now it is found to bo a threadworm. It has reduced the average working power of German miners from 45 years to 40 years since 1806. Out of 5000 miners in four badly-attacked mines 90 per cent, wore found to bo suffering from it, and it sometimes produces blindness. It seems, however, possible to stamp out the disease if measures aro taken in time and that has been done near Calais.