THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18896, 23 June 1923, Page 15

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

NEWS AND NOTES. By J. T. Paul. TO CORRESPONDENT. “Labourite.” —The strength of the various parties in the new Queensland Parliament is as follows:—Labour, 43 : United, 16; Country, 13 —total, 72. Majority for Labour over combined Opposition, 14. ALLIANCE OF LABOUR COUNCILS. The formation in the principal towns of the dominion of industrial district councils of the Alliance of Labour is proceeding steadily, and within the past fortnight arrangements in connection with this important step in the organisation and development of the alliance have been made at Napier and Gisborne. Other district councils have already been set up in Christchurch. Groymouth, and Westport, and it Is anticipated in Wellington that arrangements will be completed in the next few weeks for the establishment of similar bodies at Timaru, Dunedin, Invercargill, Hamilton. Auckland, and other centres. The question of forming a local council has been deferred pending negotiations with the trades and labour councils upon the proposal that they shall become affiliated with the Alliance of Labour. If satisfactory arrangements can be made, the trades and labour councils in the four larger centres will function as district councils of the alliance in their respective areas. The idea of the industrial district councils, as explained by the secretary of the alliance, Mr J. Roberts, is that they shall function locally for the alliance, thus simplifying the work of the organisation. Another, object of the setting up of district bodies is to give the workers in the different industries affiliated with the alliance direct representation in the management of the parent body. “FOR INDUSTRIAL PEACE.” The petition of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, asking that a permanent hoard be set up to decide questions relating to wages and conditions, and any matters affecting the members of the railway service, has been presented to Parliament. The society asks that the board shall consist of an independent chairman, two or more representatives of the railway management, and an equal number representing the members of the Second Division of the Railway Service. “lids request is made in view of the difficulties which have from time to time arisen as between ourselves and the Railwav Denartment,” states the petition, “and knowing that any matters in dispute between us when represented to the Minister in Charge, must, under existing conditions, be referred back to the general manager, upon whose recommendations the Minister really acts.” This method, from the point of view of the A.S.R.S. is considered to be very unsatisfactory indeed, and tends to create industrial unrest, by reason of the fact that there is no other tribunal to which the members of the railway service can appeal. If a permanent board were set up, the society maintains that it would make for industrial peace and greater efficiency, and be generally in the interest of the public welfare. LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS’ WAGES. Ihut locomotive engineers should be paid wages more commensurate, with their responsibilities is urged by the Bnginedrivers, hiremen, and Cleaners’ Association. “The time is not far distant.” says the association s journal, “when the management of State railways will give greater consideration to the disparity between the responsibility and wages of locomotive men. . . . Ihe mechanical appliances for prevention of accidents which add to the responsibility and worry of a locomotive man are:— West’.nghouse brake, electric train tablet, lock and block signalling, automatic signalling. These have all been added within recent years, and have been the undoing of many engineers. Added to these mechanical accident prevention appliances, the locomotive man has to contend with: Increased size of engine, increased speed of Trains, increased tonnage of trains. ... In countries where private companies run the railways the locomotive man is invariably paid not less than 100 per cent, over the basic or living wage, but in countries where railways are State concerns they have been slowly decreasing from the standard until ihey do not register 50 per cent, over this basis of adjustment. It might be that companies may be made bankrupt by inefficient locomotive men and that State railways can draw on the people themselves when (hey are hard hit. Be the reason what it may, a self-evident fact remains—‘New Zealand locomotive men are not paid a wage commensurate with the skill and responsibility demanded by their employers.’ ” MARQUIS AND LABOUR M.P. A British Labour M.P. has been the victim of an amusing error through being mistaken for a marquis. Trawler men on strike at Aberdeen wished 1 to interview Mr Frank Rose, Labour ALP. for the North Division ; but be replied that he could not receive a deputation, as he had to leave for London. The fishermen, however, conferred with Mr Thompson, member for South,Aberdeen. While with him they saw a gentleman whom they took for Air Rose sitting unconcernedly in the hotel. The deputation reported this to their comrades, who met nearby ,1000 strong, and passed a resolution not to give assistance to Mr Rose or his party at the next Parliamentary election. The incident was brought before the’ Trades Council, and it is now clear that the Marquis of Aberdeen was mistaken for the Labour member. Lord Aberdeen and Air Rose both wear beards of similar cut. During the Trades Council discussion it was facetiously suggested that Mr Rose should out off his beard. i.ord Aberdeen, interviewed yesterday, said ■he was in the hotel at the hour at which Mr Rose was supposed to he seen there. He suggests that if. to avoid future confusion, the assistance of a barber has to be called in, Mr Rose’s stalwart and voumrer appearance could much better stand this alteration than in his own case. AAIERICA’S WORKING DAT. Hours of labour in American industries are far from uniform. The census of manufactures for 1919 showed that 48.6 per cent, of the more than nine million wage-earners in American manufacturing industries wore in plants where the prevailing hours of labour were 48 hours a week or less. In 1914 the proportion was only 11,8 per cent. In an article in the International Labour Review, Mr Horace R. Drury slates that the steel industry has been the most, prominent industry to maintain a two-shift system of 12 hours each. The United States Steel Corporation, which produces slightly in excess of 40 per cent, of the country’s iron and steel products, stated in 1919 that it had more than 69,000 workers on a 12hour day. Alost of the large ‘‘independent’’ steel companies were also on two t Lifts. ne steel industry in 1919 employed in all about 150.000 men on 12-hour shifts. In the other metal industries three shifts are the rule. Industries included in the ceramic group are at various stages of transition from 12-bour to eight-hour shifts. In (he ohemic.nl industries shifts are usually eight hmirs in length, except in sugar refining. The Imavv eonipment group, including paper, flour, rubber, and automobiles, work largely on three shifts. The public utility industries such as gas. water, and transport, are moving in the direction of a general eight-hour shift. Air Drury concludes that the adoption of eight-hour shifts in_ the T’nited States will not be uniform nr simul-t-’ueous, but, will come about a« the members of each industry, supported by public opinion, become convinced of its desirability. JOTTINGS. Tbe Arbitration Court will open in Wellington on Tuesday. Cases set down for hearing are the dominion carpenters and joiners’ dispute, on June 27 and 28, and the dominion shearers’ dispute on July _5. The Arbitration Court will sit at Blenheim on Ju.lv 1.0, and at Auckland on July 18. _ Mrs * CTiarmoin Kitteridgc London, wife

of tho famous novelist, has carried on the agricultural work started by her husband before his death. She is an able business manager tor her Californian ranch, as well as being a novelist. She spends most of her time on horseback directing the work of the ranch.

Premier Benito Mussolini is the son of a worker, but. a scholar and a Socialist, though a very practical one. The general staff ot ascisrn was drawn from among tho more wide-awake members of the Italian Socialist Parties previous to 1918. The men now m power have emerged from revolutionary circles. Mussolini himself began as a strong rebel, a Syndicalist, once almost a Alaximalisl. His aims are constructive in opposition to the Bolshevist destructive policies. Mussolini is aged 38. He has repeatedly expressed himself as frankly respoctful to the Catholic religion.