Jottings.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4771, 11 October 1893, Page 1

Jottings.

The attention of the House of Commons, says an English paper, is to be called to the recent alteration in Civil Service regulations, which the London letter carriers and telegraph employees regard as a great injustice. Up to the present it has been the custom to appoint male letter sorters from among the postmen, who are merely required to pass a qualifying examination. In this way the men, who, in no other circumstances could possibly advance in the postal service, have been enabled to attain a position which is decidedly preferable to, and has more advantages than that of a letter carrier. Now, however, this system is to be abolished, and protmen will have no preferential claims. Instead of the qualifying examinations, a competitive examination will be held, and this will be thrown open to all comers, thus at once destroying what many, when they first joined the service, were under the impression would be their prospect of future advancement. As showing the terrible competition in Victoria, we quote the following paragraph from the Age :— •' The Bichrnond Council recently received twenty-one tenders for painting the Sichmond Park bridge, ranging in price from JBI9 16s (Messrs Eule andEoberts) ts ,£l3O. The surveyor intimated that the work was honestly worth £150, which was the amount of his estimate. Councillor Davies, who is in the decorating business, declared that the material would coat more than the money for which Eule and Eobexts offered to do the whole work. The tender was rejected." The Anchor Boot and Shoe. Productive Society, Leicester, is making good progress, being based on the welkkriown Co-operative principles of dividing the profit between Labour, Capital, and Consumer. The Benefit derived from trading with n Society such aa this, is the knowli.ilgo that the goods manufactured are of the best possible quality, the workmen x ha.ving an interest in it 3 success, turning out work which is not only oil the highest possible standard of excellence, h\\H 13 also delivered to the purchaser aS a moderate price, that enemy of Labour — the middle man— being conspicuous by his absence. In one month the Society cent out over .£3OO worth of goods. The labourers of Tasmania, are begicning to federate. A crowded meeting of lab:urerawaa held in the Mechanics' Institute recently for the purpose of forming a Federated Labourers' Union, Mr J. Hall in the chair. The Chairman explained the scheme whereby he hoped to gather together all classes of labourers in one common bond of union for mutual benefit, and so elevate and maintain the dignity of labour, and by conciliatory measures make the old uietaods ot strikes impossible. The address was frequently applauded, and a resolution waa passed forming a Committee to frame rulea and regulations for the above object. More than fi£ty members were enrolled, and many othera promised to join when rulea were formulated. Picture— from an English journal: — A back street in the borough of London, which eveiyone who has read the works of Dickens knows to bo one of tho most miserable diet rict3 in the metropolis. In a small bedroom is a man suffering from small-pox. Ladiea' dre:3<?3 and other articles of femiaice atliie are scattered about, the mother and sioter of the small-pox patient being dressmakers. This is Kingeley's old story of the sweated tailor, whoso riiseaso brings death to the wearer cf ihe clothes he make?, retold. It ia, however, a just punishment on those who acquiesce in a atate o? society in which such things fire possible. The poor are compelled to live and work aa they can, A strong branch of the Shearers' and Labo\irera* Union has been formed at Gore, Southland. A contract for supplying the Victorian

Government with military clothing will, it is stated, contain clauses not only prohibiting sub-letting, but also making it compulsory that the work contracted for shall be carried one in the contractor's own factory or workroom.