Poverty Bay Herald . PUBLISHED EVERT EVENING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5993, 13 February 1891, Page 2

P overty B ay Herald . PUBLISHED EVERT EVENING.

, tGISBORNE, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1801. THE LABOR COMMOTION. Disquieting intelligence comes from 1 England of conflicts between labor and capital. The latest information is to the effect that it is feared that shortly 140,000 men connected with shipping are likoly fco go out on strike, and that the stevedores a at the Victoria and East and West India 3 docks have already struck work on r Federation vessels. The Shipping Federation is tho most powerful combination of capital that the world has ever seen. It was established for tho purpose of maintaining the right of shipowners to choose their own employees, unrestricted by the claims of the Unions. There is no mistake as to the issue. The pastoralists of Australia are now upholding the same principle against the fc Shearers' Unions. Scarcely a word is beard on either side of the globe about the rates of pay or hours of labor, 'a disputes regarding which would be capable pf beins arranged jtitboufc complete defeat

ef dfl# si<3« ot the ofeHw, But thdfe is no compromising the psemit difficulty, full recognition of tho Unions—and nothing less than a full recognition will satisfy the labor organisations— would place the shipping trade of the greatest maritime nation in the world ab the mercy of irresponsible and thoughless persons. On the other hand, the successful enforcement of the right of shipowners to employ free labor would smash up the Unions. No possible good can result from ignoring the fundamental issues. The serious nature of the dispute demands the abandonment of all misleading statements, which really deceive no intelligent person. The Unions say "Those who are not with us are against us," and they are in the main correct in that view. The great evil has been the federation of labor, through which large bodies of men have been called upon to take part in disputes in which they were neither directly or indirectly concerned. A few months back the industries of all the colonies were threatened with paralysis through a difficulty between pastoralists and shearers in back blocks of Queensland. If that sort of thing is to obtain it will be utterly impossible for employers to tell what the next day will bring forth. Confidence would be lost, and people would prefer hoarding their money to investing it in productive industries. We are glad to see that the Labor Unions of these colonies have displayed a disposition fco profit by the recent experience. The feeling amongst the Unions now is not in favor of the federation of labor, except in a very modified way. The prevailing opinion is that each Union should be independent, and that its members should not be obliged to go out on strike afc the bidding of any outside persons. If federated labor bodies failed in the colonies, there is not much prospect of success in England, although ifc is quite possible that the shipping trade will suffor temporary derangement, but most probably not to any great extent. Mr Tom Mann threatens to block the New Zealand Shipping Company's and Shaw-Savill steamers. If a successful attempt of the kind were made, I the frozen meat trade would be seriously affected, but perhaps there would be a compensating advantage in the high prices for meat which might ensue consequent on the cutting off of supplies. However, there is little cause to fear that the New Zealand steamers will be blocked. The threats of strike leaders nearly always prove abortive. A great Native meeting is to be held at Wairoa on April sth. Mr James Carroll, M.H.R., has arrived in Gisborne from Wairoa. Mr Hcnnessy, of the Cash Boot Mart, sends out a price list with our issue this evening. Ada Wilson was charged with drunkenness at the Court this morning, cautioned, and discharged. A heavy rain fell at intervals yesterday and during the night. To-day the weather has been oppressively sultry. The unusual sight was witnessed to-day of County councillors transacting the business of the County in their shirt sleeves, with perspiration streaming from every pore. The atmosphere in the Council chamber was fearfully warm. This evening a musical evening is to be spent at the Salvation Army barracks. Adjutant Bishop and his wife are expert musicians. Owing to the non-arrival of the Southern boat, these officers will remain in Gisborne over Sunday. At the R.M. Court yesterday afternoon, in the case of H. N. Watson v. A. Brown, claim L 5 10s, after the hearing of evidence, Mr DeLvutour accepted a nonsuit and decided to sue Mr Brown again. Costs £2 5s and solicitor's fee £1 Is were awarded against plaintiff. Messrs F. W. Williams and Kettle, a well-known Napier firm of stock and station agents, announce that they have opened a branch establishment in Gisborne, in the offices lately occupied by Graham, Pitt, and Bennett. Tehira Kopo was charged at the Police Court this afternoon with having received seven sacks of stolen grass-seed, the property ol Mr C. A. Brown, then knowing the same to be stolen. Mr Day appeared on accused's behalf. Sergt. Carlyon conducted the prosecution. The evidence showed that Mr Brown had a quantity of seed Btolen, and mentioned tho loss to the Natives who were working for him, accused being one of them, and that afterwards seven sacks of seed were found in his possession. The case was proceeding as we went to press. The return match Patutahi v. Gisborne will be played to-morrow, at the Te Hapara grounds (kindly lent for the occasion by Mr Shelton) play commencing at 1.30 sharp. The Gisborne team will he chosen from the following:— Staite, Day, Gray, Johnstone, Rees (2), Pen-in, Mann, Goldsmith, Lewis, Langford, Martiu, Crawford, Colebourne, and Palariet. Aa the teams will not be limited to fche orthodox elevon aside, it is to hop^d there will be a large muster. The country team will be a strong combination, and a good contest is anticipated. We are informed that the Native Land Commission will start its labors at Gisborne, but the date has not been definitely fixed. It is, however, probable that tho enquiry will commence about the 23rd iust. All parties interested would act wisely in bringi ing their eases before the Commission at as early a date as possible. There is a large amount of work to be done, and the time for the enquiry cannot well extend beyond threo mouths, as Parliament will probably be sum- ! moned to meet at the end of May or early in Juno. The Wairoa folk were much disappointed over the sudden determination at the eleventh hour of Lord Onslow not to visit Lake Wai-kare-moana. It was in 1867 that Wairoa ground had been trodden by a Governor, and the people of that little town were much excited over the proposed visit of tho Queen's representative, and talked of addresses, processions, and fireworks. The Governor got to Napier, and after spending a day there, changed hia mind with regard to the Wairoa trip, and skipped away next morning to Taupo. We have been shown by Mr Adams an advance copy of a book published this year by Blackie and. Co., entitled "Maori and Settler, a story of New Zealand War," by G. A. Henty, the famous writer of stories of adventure. The volume is based on iuoidents in connection with the war ogainst the Maoris, and one chapter relates to the Poverty Bay massacre, and another to the pursuit of Te Kooti. The names of places and some of the nimea of people throughout the book are familiar to this district. The new ochooner which is being built to order of Captain Skinner is approaching completion, and will soon be iv commission on the trade between Gisborne, Coast ports, and Auckland. The new vessel is to be named the Awauui, and will be captained by her owner, Captain Page (we hear) taking tho schooner Gisborac. Tho trade is an extensive one, and Captain Skinner expects to have hie three schooners, the Awanui, Gisborne, and Waiapu, actively engaged all the year round in the Gisborne-Aucklaud running, the Gisborne making occisional trips to Oamaru and Timaru for produce. Our Waipiro correspondent writes :•— I once knew a newspaper correspondent who not infrequently during a lack of " triplets," 11 double -headed caives," or "enormous gooseberries," used to commence his letters With an assurance that "there was abso- ' ; lutely no news at his location," a quasi fact which would have been far more complimentary to himself, and less insulting to the understanding of his readers, if he had said nothing about it ; for I opine he wrote himself down an ass, news in itself to many people who had previously esteemed him a veritable literary Solon. Lest I should follow suit, and be likewise esteemed by. :your subscribers, I may as well say there js ssmo news here, but precious litt<le...of it. The Land Court is sitting daily, but I shall know nothing of its proceedings till Thursday next, when I am promised information thereof by a kindly official. Mr John Aoftnd of Maltarika (Mr Somerville'a station)- had' a> nasty fall from his horie yesterday, lacerating his tongue tmrt lips, and rendering him iusensible for a time. He is, however, doing well, and on a fair way to recovery.

Mr d. p, Vitt will sell to>momw at his action rooms, furniture. arid other effects In the estate of the late Mr Robert Williams. He will als<j sell at two o'clock at Stevenson's stables, Horseß, waggon, &o. Chief^ Judge Seth-Stnith at the Native Land Court refused the application for reheariug of a Wairoa block, and granted a rehearing of Obahu block, a case in which Judge Barton awarded land to a Native Committee on account of the adultery of a woman. As will be seen by advertisement, Mr G. Aldridge of Auckland, is to lecture in the Theatre Royal on Sunday evening at 7 o'clock. The subject of his lecture is one of undoubted interest. For several years Mr Aldridge's lectures in Auckland have attracted large audiences, and when the Rev. Hill left, their city, by request, Mr Aldridge took up the work so ably and well begun by that gentlemen of giving Sunday afternoon lectures. These lectures were attended by all manner and conditions of peop'e, and Sunday after Sunday large audiences assembled at the Opera House to hear his interesting biblical lectures. Mr Aldridge gives his lectures free, A collection will be made to defray cost of hall. Mr Aldridge arrives by the Mararoa to-morrow.