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THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

NEWS AND NOTES. Br the Hon. J. T. Paul.- 51.L.0. Itoms of information and brief comments on questions coming under this heading are always wclco/ne. Books, pamphlets, etc., sent to tho editor of this column will-also bo noticed. MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. Monday,—Grocers; Pressors; Woollen Mills. Tuesday.—Bootmakers; Hairdressers; Met*l Workers. Wednesday.—Socialist Party. Thursday.— I Trades and Labour Council. Friday.—Engineers; Moulders. THE RECENT STRIKE, For over 20 years Dunedin' has been Ires from strikes. In the-o circumstances it ia not at all romarkablo that when somo 60 woollen mill workers dccidc-d to strilco last week the public was immediately interested. Tho girls' " holiday" covered somo seven working clays, and doubtless would havo been settled muoli quicker had tho union been thoroughly organised. Several days elapsed beforo Labour men took part in it, tho reason being a goneral impression that tho matter had been adjusted. satisfactorily. Members of tho Trades and Labour Council wero approachod on Thursday; in tho evening tin; council decided to tako immediate action and appointed a Management Committee: negotiations wore entered into with tho employers on Friday and the disputed points - submitted to arbitration. Tho arbitrators were engaged from 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. , on Saturday, and on Monday morning both sides decided to accept the finding in toto. , On Tuesday morning the girls returned to work. Tho not result of the 'triko is that many disputed points have | been cleared up satisfactorily to both side.;, ptul thero is more ithan a reasonable pos- • sibility that industrial, relationships at the ; mills will run smoother than for some timo j past. The loyal manner in whioh the ( -gii'ls stood together was not tho least effectivo step in bringing tho disputed matters to a satisfactory conclusion. Their action was a powerful lesson in unity. Considering I thero was some of tho elements of a serious industrial dispute, Ithough tho primary . trouble was not a matter of wages, the end t of tho strike -has been satisfactory. . THE LABOUR LEADER AND OUR PRIME MINISTER. I Tho London Labour 'Leader, tho official i ? r San of the British Labour party, refers i in the current issue to Sir Joseph Ward's j rcoont proposals for an Empire Parliament, i. Tho references are interesting as showing tho attitude of the new forco in British i politics, and I reprint them;— " The unanimity with whioh the Premiers ) ait the Imperial Conference havo rejected a* i impracticable tho proposal of Sir Joseph 1 Ward for the establishment of what ho 1 terma an ' Imperial Parliament of Defence' 3 is evidenoo' that they have a deeper comi prehension of the problems connected with ) Imperial relations than the Prime Minister c of the New Zealand Dominion. Whilst it .would bo futile to dogmatise with regard J to what the futuno may bring forth, '<va 1 conccivo that conferences of Premiers, called at intervals to discuss Imperial questions, l are all that true statesmanship warrant?, i for tho present at any rate. As regawl-3 any advance to be nut'ek), this should tako 1 tlie form of tho discussion of questions 9 rr:oro vital to civilisation than theso of s dofenoo and commerco. I '.''l' 10 wml 'Empire' hag acquired most f evil associations and one of the duties of an Imperial Conforenco should bo to tako tho bad tasto out of tho mouth. If Imperial f conferences in the future are to justify i their cx is bonce, it is oesonitial that thoy t should confer on questions of social and • political advance, and seek to adopt a 1 common standard. For example, Australia • and New Zealand have suffrage - and aro tho paoemakors o£ itfoe Empire 3 in matters of social and industrial legis--0 lation, whilst tho colonies; as a whole, » aro wedded to the principle of national 8 rutonomy. In all theso tlunja the colonies ® havo attained ,to a higher standard tlian Great Britain. On the other hand, Great Britain- has a tradition with regard to ' civil liberty and the rights of subject races much superior to that of colonies liko South Africa. Thus both Great Brtiain ami tho overseas dominions have much to leam - from each other, and it is 4he function " of an Imperial Conference worthy of the 1 namo to promoto tho adoption of an Im- - porial standard of_ civilisation, .and to do '■ its utmct-t to iai9o it by cwty means > possible." B , SOMETHING LIKE AN ATTACK. Many people in. New Zealand liavo <10-3 3 plored t.ho attacks on several of tho judges . who havo occupied tho position of president e of tho Arbitration Court. Wo havo had nothing in tjhis country to compare with tho rccent "set" mada against Mr J.ustiiou' , Higgins, president of the Commonwealth ' o Arbitration Court. In a reoont case bs- ! foro tho court Mr Justice Higgins made some remarks on eronomio theories. In ;' the course of some plain speaking liis Honor y said:—"lt ouglit to be frankly admitted t that, us a rule, tho economic position of tho individual employee is too weak for _ him to hold his own in the unequal ccinI test. He is unable to insist on the ' fair 0 thing.' The power of the cmplover to 1 withhold bread is a Much ir.oro effectn-o weapon than tho iiowor of tho employes , ,to refuse to. labour. Freedom of contract, j! under such circumstances, is surelv misnamed; it should rather bo callod despotism in contract; and this court is empowered to fix a minimum wage' as a check '• on tho despotic power." 0 His Honor also contended that "tho J" worker is in tho same position, in prin- , oiplc, as Esau, wlion he surroiwlerod his I" birthright for a square meal,, or as a , traveller when, lie had- to give up his c ' money to a highwayman for the privilege! of life." 1 His judgments contain muoli . moro to which strong e.xooption has boon , s taken by Australian employers. His • Honor's opinions are referred to as " those strangely violent economic theories," and 0 the official organ of tho Victorian Em- ™ ploycrs' Association declares that " There can no longer bo any confidence, even if '■ thero ever has been, in tho impartiality 1 of the Arbitration Court." Ono newspaper ;t editor lias been- exonerated from a ehargo of contempt of court for ccrtain rofcTcncos to Mr Justice Higgins, and altogether muoli 0 discussion has centred around his Honor's '■ remarks. '■ Contemptuous reference was , recently made to tho matter in tho "!fev South Wales Parliament. During tho second - reading debate on ,the Labour Govern - 1 ment's new Arbitration Bill, tho opinions of Mr Justice Higgips were referred to, Y and a Conservative newspaper reports tho !i incident thus:— s "Jir Waddoll, in referring to domestic - and rural workers, said it was' impco-ible, 1 in his opinion, to regulate their hours f and to allow inspectors to enter privato 1 houses and harass housewives. In tlie !• hands of a eontimont-al humbug liko -Mr 0 Justioo Hit'gins— " Mr Fitzpatrick: Ho has shown himself to bo a violent partisan. [ "Mr Waddell: Thero has never boon- a man who lias disgraced his position, more 1 and God help tJio fairniore of Australia if s they havo to suffer tho restrictions Ibxfc r a man cf that kind would plaoo u.pon them, _ and God help t.ho whole community, too. "Mr Fitzpatrick: fJod ,heln tho ccuntry constituents who simiwrt the" proposal. ' " Mr Waddell: Mi* Justioo Higgins is I not a just judge. He has shown it by \h „ own statements. He is a man of partiJ ality. In New South Wales wo havo in Judgo Ileydon a very fair and honestjudge. B "Mr J. Storey: Just- now you said ho e was n disgi'ace. l ' "Ml- Waddell; I (lid not. I rofcrjo-1 io 5 .Tudgo Ilijrjfins. Ho has raid and dis- " graced the ermine In; wears. "Ths Speaker: I don't think t.l:o hon. monitor should adopt that language ios wards a judge." | A PRIME MINISTER'S IDEALS. Tho iicoolo are always interested in the idc-als of its public men. Too much ideal is often as great a handicap in the practical ® affairs of lifo as 100 little. A man is a j poor mortal, however, who is wholly de- ' void of ideals. Mr Andrew Fisher, tlie Prime Minister cf tho Commonwealth, has taken part in many stirring receptions in 1 the Old Country recently. At one of the?o i ho met with a particularly enthusiastic re- •' ceptiou at tho hands of an audience largely - composed of wagn-osmors. In responding f to tllio toast of his health, Mr Fisher said ho to apprehensive as to tho emphasis

they were lading 1 on tho fact that he had risen from being a collier la/d to being tho Primo Minister of Australia,, .Why should they talk liko that? What was there in being bom a titled person, lnunting-about with dogs or trying to ride horses, very indifferently somotimcs, goinj to- schools and learning nothing, and then becoming Prime Minister, any movo than if a man who swept their gutters ami was doing tishful sorvico should also become their Prime ilinister? Every kind of work that was useful and nooessaj-y for tho preservation of tho Jiealtb of tho nation and for tho industrial prosperity cf an honest and hardWorking people was roblc. _ Sinco his earliest yea re ho had 1 lioV.l opinions in od- ■ vance of the ordiraiy jxilitical views of t.hofe who surrounded him, and ho had, kept them in front of -him with tho one aini and desire that tho people should) -bo equipped with the power to rale t-hemsolves through a Parliament constituted by themselves. That aim ho had followed consistently, aird sometimes seemingly to his disadvantage, but. ho had known no man or woman who had really suffered through following their inner, convictions, whether they were in a minority of ono or of a few. lie appealed to his audience to thrust «J1 these tliimjs asido and to test) a man, whether ho was a lord or a scavenger, by his merits and actions, and U theeo roag tme, then " Let sense and worth o'er a' the earth Bear tho greo arid a' that. Was that not tho best basis of a policy for a party like the Labour party? Do • not let them bo afraid of a class, whether a _ wealthy class or another. If they were with him in thought and vrero willing to adopt that democratic principle, ho was as willing to work with an emperor and king as with airy worker in the coal mine. Proceeding, Mr Fisher wont on to : give an account of tho Labour movement in Australia and tho work that had been accomplished iby it in dealing, ivith land ! and other monopolies. Tho groat aim of Parliaments and institutions of all kinds • had ibeon fitly summed l up in the' words of Bums:— "To mako a happy fireside clime For weans and 1 wife, That's tho true pathos and sublime, Of human life." That was all thoy were trying to do. If , there had been suffering which could be , removed without deteriorating tho nice, , then it was tho duty of a free country and a free Parliameirt to romovo tho disabilities and to givo every man his place, not according to his money or tho position into which he mig-ht liave been born. JOTTINGS. The British Labour party is engaged in a great campaign for a legalised minimum wago of 30s por woolc. _ ' After 11 years of agitation, a bill providing for compulsory insuranoo againtt . sickness' and accident has boon passed by bcth Houses of tho Swiss Legislature. Mr M. J. Savago, president of tho Auckland Socialist party, will contest Auckland City Control as a pledged Socialist at tho ooming general olectioii. I Mr Ivor Hazall has beon elected executive secretary for New Zealand of tho Dominion section o£ the Amalgamated Socioty of - Carpenters and Joiners. A numbor cf female shirt-maicere imj ported under permit, by tin Irish firm ' which is establishing a branch in Mel: • bourne have arrived. They are under 5 agreement to .work for 25s per iwoek. 1 California lias a uniquo now labour law, > which provides that if the head of a 1 family refuses to support his dependents ho may bo arrested, put to work on tho 3 highways, fed, clothed, and housed, and 5 a dollar per day paid to his family. - 1 The Dunedin General Labourers' Union J intends taking Labour representation seriously. It has 'voted £10 towards tho • funds of , the Labour Representation Couj. 1 cil, and intends to do everything .possiblo c to promote dircct Labour representation on all public bodic3. , The union has seen i direct and tangiblo advantages follow Labour representation elsewhero and pro--1 poses to do likew'ise heie.i The ideal is a ■ minimum wago of .9s per day on publio > works, and cvjry candidate for Parliament 3 is to. be asked to declaro himself on ihe 3 question. - _ ] s To, their Credit (says "Artizan," in^ ' Auckland Herald), Federal Premier Mr' Fisher and Sir John Findla.y, the Aust tralasian humanitarian representatives at !» tho . Coronation, liavo been raising their 0 yoicca on several occasions oh bohalf of 1 -tho (totally-submerged and _ partially-sub-y merged millions of tho Empire, f Tho Auckland Voice of Labour now ap:l peais with tho namo of Thomas Walsh oa a tho imprint. Mr Black is managing i editor, and Messrs J. Black and T. Walsh > associate editors. Mr Walsh is -tho emere getio secretary of the Auckland Labour i- party. Tho Voice is, vigorously attacking :, tho revolutionary Socialists with tho object ,1 of showing- the impracticability of their s proposals as an immediate aid to the :i workers. t In South Africa the trade unionists con:i sider tho Govornmeht their worst enemy, s tlio State railv/ay sliops being tho biggest h factor in lowering standard- rates, and.the--0 indiscriminato immigration. which ie i. allowed is bcopming serious, bccauso many ii of tho big construction jobs taken ip hand after the war aro nearing completion. Addressing the Labour Council of Now 0 South Wales loot week Mr J. C. Watson, 5 cx-Fcdoval Promior, said that £26,750 mas' in hand, and £41,750. by binding resolutions ■of unions, had been' subscribed towards tho daily Labour paper. This gives a total of £68.500 in hand and asiurotl, of tho £100,000 required, bo foro s the directors publish. Mr Fisher antieit< pates that that -event will precede the 1 Federal elections. :1 *

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19110715.2.22

Bibliographic details

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15196, 15 July 1911, Page 5

Word Count
2,402

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD. Otago Daily Times, Issue 15196, 15 July 1911, Page 5

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD. Otago Daily Times, Issue 15196, 15 July 1911, Page 5

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