LABOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14282, 24 August 1910, Page 7

LABOUR.

TRADES UNIONISM. (Press Association-By Telegraph-Copy right LONDON, August 22. Mr Fenwic.k, speaking at the miners' demonstration at Tyneiuouth, and there was a great danger to trades unionism. There was a, great spirit of insubordination, aud if the men had no confidence in their officers, the sooner the latter were dismissed tho better, unless this rowdyism wa.s to be snubbed immediately. The experiI ence of the. Northumberland miners I was the greatest social wreck in modj ern times.

THE OSBORNIO JUDGMENT. At the congress of the executives of the Labour Party, the federation of Trade I'nious .and the Parliamentary Committees of Trades I'nions. it was resolved to make the Osborne judgment a test question at all elections. Tin'- | speakers deprecated lhe (iovernmem's neglect to facilitate the passage of the Bill to restore the rights enjoyed for half a century. SLAUGHTERING DISPUTE. SYDNEY, August 23. There is no change in the slaughtering trouble ami many of the men are leaving the State. j BEIT'S AT; TO WORK. Received 12.5 a.m., August 24th. SYDNEY. August, 23. The men employed on the third section of the North Coast railway refuse to continue work until the men blackballed for parricipai oig in the 'labour campaign are reinstated. MR RAMSAY MACDONALD'S VIEW'S. Received 12.30 a.m., August 24th. LONDON. August. 23. To enable arbitration to proceed the Labour Board has resolved to i'ur- , :; : discuss the Osborne decision a.- «'>-• forthcoming Trade Union Congress. Mr Ramsay .Maedonald on being miierviowed. said that a big demonstration , was in preparation against the judgment. He would address 29 gatherings before Christmas time. He would exercise pressure upon the Go- : verument by stumping the country niaksue. The injunctions secured by the '. ar.ous unions again.-1 the use ol union Hinds in support of the Labour Party would affect sixteen Labour Commoners. The bare navment of members would not saiisiy lhe Labour wirepullers. They want control of the unions. Public opinion revolts against tho idea of compelling trades unionists to pay for the maintenance of & party whose politics thov detest. The " Clu-ouiclo'' in recommending the payment of members, deprecates an agitation for immediate legislation reversing tho whole judgment. Such legislation was neither feasible nor des.ruble: but some legislation regarding tho poltical status of trade unions was possibly necessary, whereas any attempt to coerce every member of a union would be a. restriction or denial of free electoral rights. THE SLOW-DOWNERS. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND. August ->3. "Outside the diflioulties that the employer has to contend against bv the harassing labour laws forced upon -!! m J jy a P at& nial Government." said Mr D. Goklie in the course of his presidential speech at the annual nieetin--01 the Auckland Emplovers' Federal io'.i ties afternoon, "there" is the further difticulty created bv bis emplovoos who, m many instances thronghout'th" Dominion are showing a growing tendency to restrict the outout. ft is a well-known fact that manv employee's rarely give a fair day's work for a.'fair (lay s pay. "Whenever men i>ossos,sed of grit and determination make an eil'ort to push their work ahead, iliev were immediately told bv certain of tl'ieu' coworkers to go easy, othenvi c it would be unpleasant for them. Ouiside of those who can but will not give a fair day's work for a fair day's pav is another class of workers— those who cannot earn the minimum wage from wantof ability, lack of energy or because old age and decrepitude have conn- upon them. The labour laws pre.-.s very cruelly upon such, hundreds of them are forced out ol employment and into poverty because one mam plank in the labour platform is preference to unionists. Awards carrying this clause, it is said, and justly so 100, become labour trusts. A first-class artisan can mi account of his ability command employment anywhere and yet be is compelled to join a. union, or be debarred from -working and so often Minis himself working side by side with an incompetent worker who draws flic same wages as himself. It has been suggested that a. clause might vcrv well be added to our Arbitration Act that would provide for the compulsory grading of workers who might lie divided into three classes —first-class (thoroughly competent), soeoud-elas.s (Hot fully Competent), aud third-class (.decrepit, [worker)."