THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14359, 31 October 1908, Page 14

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

NEWS AND NOTES.

BT TIIK HOX. J. T. Paul, M.L.CJ,

' Items of information owl brief comments on questions coming under this heading aro *lway3" welcome. Books, pamphlets, clc., sent to the editor of this oolumn -will also be noticed.

" MEETINGS FOK THE WEEK. ■ The following unions wilt meet, during the reek at the Trades Hall: — Ta-niglit (Saturday).—Typographical (general). Monday.—Tramways, Wharf Labourers, Painters, Butchers, Tailors, Bricklayers. Tuesday.—Tinsmiths. Wednesday,—Printers' Machinists, Genera! Labourers. ilh,ursdny.—Trades and Labour Council. Friday.—Carpenters. , TO CORRESPONDENTS. ! WoitKEit.—Single-tax is largely of American origin. Tho difference between Socialism and Single-tax is real. An American, Morris Hillquit, in "The History of Socialism in tho United States," classifies Socialists and Singlc-taxers thus:—"Tiic Singletaxcr regards land ownernltip as one of the most fundamental factors in our social life; the socialist considers modern factory produetion tho dominant feature of present, civilisation. The Single-taxer recognises hut one form of economic exploitation— rent; the Socialist asserts that, surplus value—i.e., the unpaid .part, of tho workman's labour.—is the source of all exploitation, and thai it. is Inom this surplus value that rent, as well as interest and profit are drawn."

Studext.— I Tho Reformers' Year Book will best suit your purpose. 1 will plate my set at your disposal as your need is tjrgent.

A BHAMELBSS BETRAYAL. : The cable from Queensland this week a'nent Mr Kidston's alliance with Mr Philp must, have sent a thrill of shame, through Australian Labour circles. A few years ago Mr William Kidston led the Queensland Labour party. Ho was always opposed by and to .Mr Philp, admittedly one of the most Conservative m<3n in public lifo in the yolonics. He stands pat, for pracii-: cally .everything tho Labour party regards as anathema, Mr Kidston's greatest struggles have been in opposition to Mr Philp..'' Aiid now, according to the cable, J.heso two old gladiators have embraced each other as long lost and inforcnfially misunderstood" brothers, and are about to consummate. a political union. Whether tho united couple will live happily politically "ever afterwards" remains lo be seen. The baby in the background in the shape of the Labour party will ho a disturbing element for the new political alliance." ■

For the.first time in Australasian political Labour history have we witnessed the sp?ctado of. an ex-leader of tho party joining with file most Conservative leader for the purpose of annihilating tho Labour party. Students of political history in Queensland ■will remember that a few months ago the Conservative parly was styled by tho Government party as "a. corrupt gang." This was one of the mild descriptions. And now we have the most, democratic and advanced Premier coalescing with admittedly the .most Conservative leader in Australian politics. It, is st-ilj true that "anything may happen in politics." •It is truo that the Labour party has been partly to blame for-precipitating the new alliance. But. the Kidston party mado equally serious mistakes. Tho Labour party loyally supported Mr Kidston's progressive legislation. The.v put Mr Bliilp out to put Mr Kidston in. However that may 'be, surely political principle ranks of higher value than- political expediency. Tho desire for office lias apparently' beconio paramount among tho articles of faith of the late Labour leader, Mr Kidston. Under the new dispensation lie retains office, but from tho point of' viow -of the .labour party lie has lost every vestige of Ibe political respect, of his 'lata comrades. To most Labour men that respect is of greater Yaluo than tho highest office. TJio Otago Trades Council almost hod a personal .interest in the ilic career of Mr Kidston. On tho oeoasion of his first visit 1o New Zealand some years ago after lie ihad been elevated to tho position of Colonial Treasurer of Queensland the council arranged for n welcome befitting tho -Labour leader. A change in his programme prevented him visiting Duncdin, and so the proposed- ivcloome fell through. There will be no more Labour welcomes for Mi' Kidston.

Wo shall now wltiess a bitter and prolonged struggle between tho Labour party and the Kidston-Philp alliancc. How it will end' timo-will prove. But the Labour alien of Queensland 'have always been staunch. Messrs Airey and Kerr (also cxleaders of tl>o Labour party) have resigned their Ministerial portfolios as a. protest, against Mr Kidsfcon's change of front. These Jiion are Jifccly io fall between two stools, as-they Moke from tho official party flnd stood by Mr Kidst-on at ihe roccnt eloction, Mr Kidston lias now left, them stranded. The future in Queensland •politics 13 interesting- to the Labour student. .

A CAUSTIC CRITIC OX OUR NORTHERN NEIGHBOURS. That trades and labour councils have difficult® and differences is only to'be expected. That some councils have more internal strife than others in the Dominion is well known. The Oiago Council lias fortunately been free from internal dissensions. On the whole its record a mo;r commendable one. It. has cvadsd ihe whirlpool of narrow party politico, and it has never become enmeshed in the tangles of paln'y ,political expediency. It has" on the wholo conspicuously kept a straight path and intelligently supported and advanced tho workers' ideals. The .result .is that as an institution it. holds a high and honoured place in the public life < ; f the Dominion.

A caustic critic in tho person of the Hon. John Barr, M.L.C.. -.ays some blunt things in bis "Labour World'" column anent two northern I nidus and labour councils: — "'lliose who rccognise ihe pood work that, trail en and labour councils are capable of doing not, only for trade unionism but abo for the worker in .<jc ; .;r-.tal, must, deeply rc,gret Jo learn through the daily pr<*.*.s of the Dominion of Ihe clmctic. condition of the Wellington Council." .cavs Mr Ban-. "That .matters lave !:?en u'oin.u' from lad to worse for some c;uisidcral)ic time has bsen well 'known io vhosc inside unionist circles, and tnia is due solely to the whole business of ihe council having lxrcn usurped bv the professional secretary with too much' lime on his hands, who, instead of lending his energies to his secretarial duties, is desirous of running ihe universe according to his own peculiar and invariably impossible ideas. At tho present moment the question in "Wellington is whether the Trades and Labour Council is to be run :;s originally intended, on behalf of trade unionism or is to continue 1o exi s t for Ihe furthering of the political aspirations of the few who havo beun runuiii!; the council, and have been responsible for the asinine conduct permitted in the name of tho council, not only 011 the occasion of its picnic, but at- Mated intervals for some considerable time past—conduct which has been generally hurtful to die progress of unionism." Mr Han- does udt absolve llm stay-at-homo unionist from blame. lie overs that the "rational members" "play tinto tho hands of these who might do sood service if they were kepi within'due bounds. and were well paid for it. It. is j 0 be hoped

(hat Wellington unionists will rally round (ho wreck of their council and rebuild it on u unionism foundation."

The same critic devotes some attention to the Canterbury Council, of which he is a member. "Tho Canterbury Trades and Labour Council is not in the, same serious danger, more especially it Ihc rules are adhered to. Unfortunately, endeavours have been made at intervals to ignore rules when it suited the convenience of the extreme section,and unfortunately also they have at times been successful owing lo llie more rational mtmbeis and those with a belter grasp of unionism absenting themselves. An attempt in this direction was made -it tlie last meeting of the council, when a. motion was pur, forward having foi\ its object the fining of the council's support for the candidate of the four Socialists now in the field. The motion was considered a violation of Ru'e 2. which defines the business of the council to be ' lo foslor and encourage the growth of trades unionism, and to initiate and encourage ihe passage of all legislative matters that appertain to the welfare of unionism and all workers.' It was considered that the rule quoted (which, by the way. was an amendment lo the original rule, passed in 1905) prohibited the council from entering the field of general politics, but even apart from that rulo I have no hesitation in stating as my opinion, and the opinion of many members of the. council who have spoken to me on the subject, that the council could not as an oigauisation of unionism have consistently supported candidates who, as extreme Socialists, use unionism and the unions as a tool-some of them have been honest. enough lo admit frankly that 'Socialism is opposed to the trades unions.' How. then, could the council support such candidates, whatever their meantime professions might be?" Mr Ma it concludes by saying that 'Mho council truly on this occasion did the right, thing, and if is to be hoped that unionism and all that, pertains thereto will continue lo tate> first place, so that Ihe Canterbury Council may not. fall into the sanm condition as the Wellington body."

Tho cause of the division into rival camps in these councils is undoubtedly the introduction of party politics into the Trades Councils. Otago has for 15 years at least delegated its parly politics to an independent body. The great, and lengthy success of the Workers' Political Committee is a beacon light to Labour throughout the Dominion'. Almost without exception'the committee returned its cho-e.n candidates. Tt managed the parly political side of the labour movement, which left the Otago Trades and Labour Council free to deal with industrial conditions and national politics. The council lias never hesitated to condemn any parliamentary proposal of (iovernment. or Opposition, but. it does not meddle witli the more troublesome details of party organisation and strife. And. lo my-mind, therein lies in part the secret, of ils power and prestige.

.TDTTIXOK. Sydney Worker is to lie published twico a week in future.

A minimum wage of 4s per week lias been fixed in Xew .South Wales.

Shocking cases of sweating have been revealed in .South Australian restaurants. Tho old story of long hours and low pay. "Loaded" meat is the latest- fraud being perpetrated on the consuming public of Melbourne. Brine is pumped into the meatby a force pump, an-:! tho buyer buys a largo percentage -of water. " . English strike-breakers—thoy used to to called " blacklegs "—are leaving England to take the place of Ilw men out on strike on. the Caiiadian-Pacifie railway. An agency of the company is enrolling them iiv London.

TJio total vole on (ho ballot in connection with the proposed reduction in' the cotton operatives' wages was almost unanimous against the reduction. The totals -polled were: Against, propesod reduction of employers, 51.931; in favour 0 f the reduction, 4119.

■When the mail left the North-East'.Coast ■strike of engineers had cost, the union £150,000. If the workers could.only realise how far £150,000 would go towards reforming the House cf Commons in the nutter of Labour representation tho millenium would be nearer.

The Amalgamated Society of "Engineers in Great Britain spends £iOO.OOO annmiliv iu unemployed benefits. And here also Lalionr representation in Parliament would help towards a solution of tho. difficulty. The Labour Day procession in Auckland was . not very successful. The large majority of the unionists preferred to view tlie procession from the sidewalk. Broken Hill, where the mining depression exists, has lost 5500 of jts population since January. I'he number of miners employed has fallen in one years from 10,030 to 6752. '

The, Saturday half-holiday is becoming very general in the larger towns in OueeniTland.

The Arbitration Court suggested in Auckland that those cases unheard by the court, during its lalo silling should be referred to the new Conciliation Council According to Mr B. 11. Wise, who has boon Jong enough in tho Old Country to form an opinion, the Labour party there is 20 years behind the Labour party in Australia.

The Kev. J. E. Carrulhers, who has recently ret timed to Sydney from a prolonged visit in the Old Country, says ihut. "ttf one of two issues it seems clear that Lngland is inevitably committed—either evolutionary .Socialism. or revolulionary Socialism.''

,or 'be first lime in the history of Turkey, a woman has delivered a .speech lo a crowd in the street, and now we hear of the formation of a committee of ladies called together to collect money for the repatriation of exiles.

The sub-committee appointed by the 'Wellington Trades Council for the purpose of bringing about, the Saturday half-holi-day -hoped to have the petitions in circulation _ this week. It will be necessary to obi am roughly 2500 signatures to the peti-t-ions for a, poll on the (|tiesiion. the Federated Lithographers and Letterpress Primers hold a conference in Wellington on November 9 and 10. The business is the consideration of uniform working conditions, etc. Dunodin will decide next week whether it will be represented. i'li ihe English mail 1 received the three late;l. pamphlets published bv Ihe British Independent Labour nark—" Indian Budget Pjpeech," by Ur'Keir Hardie. M.I 1 .; "Bradford and Its Children: tlow . J .n y ""v*" 1 -" l»v l'r H. Palin: and Henry George, .Socialism, and the ftin<']e Tax." by T. Kussell Williams. The oulpnt of pamphlets is now phenomenal, and amongst- the ablest and best are those i-sucd by the publication department of Ihe Independent Labour parly. I confidently advise students of Labour and social problem,; to secure a collection from the long and varied list.

Ihe work of pic-king in the bop plantations of .Surrey commenced recently. In most eases ihe yield will be - upwards of 13cwf to the aero. Owing to the numerous applications for work remuneration has been reduced from 2d to per bushel. A number of domestic servants have held a meeting at Birmingham and decided to become members of and form a servants' branch of iho National Federation of u onion Workers.

I ho Sydney Labour Council is consider* injj the <nio*l ion of providing work for llu> unemployed, A committee appointed by the. council to investigate Ihe (potion, recommends legislation somewhat on the lines of the measure submitted by the liritish Labour parly to the House of Lominous. That bill provided for the

absorption of the unemployed by the municipalities.

A conference of delegates representing the Auckland, Wellington, Christchurcli, and Duncdin hotel employees unions will bp hold shortly. The conference will consider the necessity of a uniform award for the Dominion, and also place before Parliament. the. need for legislation protecting the male and female hotel workers of this count it.

The Canterbury Hotel and Restaurant Employees' Union, which has been barely eight months in existence, has at. the present time a. membership of 213. and may be said to be still '/going strong." A Labour writer says it is to be regretted that all attempts to arrange working conditions with restaurant and tea-room proprietors in a conciliatory milliner have failed, and that the union has had of necessity to refer the case In the Arbitration Court,

The cablegrams relating to the Canadian elections this week contained very little information beyond tho fuel, "that the Government had lost about. 60 seats. Whether these seats have been won by tho Opposition or by Labour we a.re not told. My English tiles lo band this week contain information on the activities of the Labour party. Mr Keir Hardie persuaded the party to plunge into politics, and it was expected that, about, 50 candidates would contest the elections. Prior to the election the Dominion House of Commons contained one Labour member. At, tho Trades and Labour Congress just opening when the mail left, a proposal was to have been submitted to unite as far as possible the Labour forces of Great. Britain, Canada, and the United States for mutual assistance in time of need, and for political action as a common party on a Socialist platform. Labour Day was celebrated (says an English exchange) in all the principal cities of "America with parades and demonstrations. The greatest parade was in New York, 'where Mr Keir Jlardie, M.P., reviewed 40.000 workmen and women workers, who marched past a special stand erected for him and his principal hosts. 'J his, the largest labour procession on record in the States, was very impressive, and Mr Ilardie expressed his warm appreciation _ of tho str«n"tli of the Labour forccs in New York. Forty-six labour organisations participated. _______