LABOR NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2556, 17 July 1909, Page 7

LABOR NOTES.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

(By Unionist.) Back wages, amounting to £3O 16s, ."have been awarded to an ex-employer •of the Star Boxmaking Company of IXnnedin. ■ Ah agreement has Deen arrived at ■between the Gum Diggers’ Union and the employers concerned in the Auckland district in the dispute between the parties with reference to the conditions of work. The agreement provides for a 47-hours’ working week, at a rate of Is per hour for all journeymen gum sorters. Bootmakers throughout New Zealand express themselves as being dissatisfied with the recent Arbitration Court award in their industry. It is understood that the executive of the federation is engaged in the preparation of a manifesto in answer to the memorandum of the court, and in deference to the claims of the federation. At a well-attended meeting of the Canterbury Hotel and Restaurant Employees’ Union recently the opportunity was taken to present the Hon. John Barr with an artistically illuminated address. In making the presentation, Mr. James Mulligan (president of the Union) stated that the address had been signed by 100 members of the Union, and by two-thirds of the lady members. Mr. Barr fittingly expressed his acknowledgement of the gift, and his pleasure that the lady members had appreciated his efforts. Mr. E, Howard, as representing the Trades and Labor Council, eulogised the work done by Mr. Barr in the cause of unionism. An application was made recently to the Itegistrar of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court in Melbourne, by representatives of the Shop Assistants’ and Warehouse Employees’ Federation of Australia, that the United Grocers, Tea, and Dairy Produce Employees’ Union be struck off the list of organisations. The Registrar, after hearing the evidence, dismissed the application. The Shop Assistants’ Federation are seeking to have all classes of trade enrolled under their banner, and desire the grocers’ assistants to fail into line. Tom Mann’s engagement as organiser lias now been definitely terminated by the combined unions Of the Barrier. The motion to retain, his services for a longer period was easily defeated. Mr. Mann has been invited to resume his position as secretary . and organiser of the Victorian Socialist Party, which he vacated when he went to the Barrier. The' New South Wales' - IndustrialCourt has agreed to appoint a Wages Board to create a standard of; wages and hours for cabmen in Sydney. In making the application, the secretary of the union stated that some of tlie men worked as many as 140 hours per •week. An application by the Clerks’ Union for a wages board was, however, refused by the President of the Court, Judge. Heydon. One of the most important measures put through by the Federal Labor Party during its recent tenure of office was the Act which renders sea captains liable to a fine of £IOO for every Alien stowaway found on ships arriving in the Commonwealth. ' The master of ,t]ie Charon has just been fined in Freenjantle £IOO in respect of each stowaway discovered in his vessel, eleven in all.

From South Africa, Mr. J. O. Wat,sqn has written definitely stating that Tie will not again be a candidate for Parliamentary honors. His seat, South Sydney, will be contested for Labor by either Mr. E. J. Riley, representative of the workers for years on the late New South Wales Arbitration Court, of Alderman Leitch, Mayor of Hod fern. Mr. Leitch. is recommended by Mr, Watson, but the Sydney grades’ Council rather favors Mr. Riley’s candidature. A ballot between the two aspirants for filial selection will be taken- shortly. Mr. J. G. West has been selected to contest the East Sydney seat in the Federal Parliament, in the Labor interest, against Mr. G. H. Reicl, the sitting member. Senator E. Findlay, Stephen Barker, and A. Blakely hare been selected by the Victorian Labor Party to contest the next Federal Senate elections. The Labor Party is actively engaged in canvassing the Ballarat electorate, oil behalf of the Labor candidate at the next Federal elections. Fred D. Warren, editor of the “Appeal to’Reason,” has been convicted ojq a charge of sending defamatory matter through the mail 3, in violation of the Federal law of the United States. The case has excited considerable interest in Labor circles in. America. The “Appeal” is the paper that two years ago offered a reward of five thousand dollars’ for the kidnapping of cx-Gover-xior Taylor, of Kentucky, described as a fugitive from justice. The Finnish elections ■were, completed last month. The new Diet will have practically the same composition as its predecessor,; which was dissolved on account of its protest against the attempt to bring Finland under the control of the Cabinet and the Duma. The Socialists received 79,447 votes. The Old Finns, who alone stand in favor of surrender, polled & total of 52,396. The Constitutional parties, the Young Finns, and the Swedes, received, respectively, 28,711 and 15,885 votes, while the Agrarian Socialists got 13,648 and the Christian Workmen 6172. Federal Labor member Bamford’s “unification” petition, presented in the Commonwealth Parliament recently, was signed by 58,209 electors. It is desired by the petitioners to present the question in referendum to the people in the following form: —“Are ypu in favor of amending the Constitution so as to provide: (1) For the abolition of, the State Governments and Parliaments as at present existing, and the transfer of their property and powers to the Government and Parliament of the Commonwealth? and (2) for the establishment of new State Governments by the Parliament of the Commonwealth with such power and functions as that Parliament may deem fit to confer on them.” The ballot papers for the Senate plebiscite to be taken‘to decide the three

■ candidates to represent the Labor Party at the next Senate elections in South Australia have been printed. The following consented to contest the election if chosen: —W. 0. Archibald (pianoforte maker), A. M’Gregor Day (farmjf.er). Thompson Green (boilermaker), A. i ISf 1 /- Grosvenor (carpenter), R. S. Guthrie be/scaman), J. J. Jelly {cabinetmaker), Klanger (engineer), E. R. Lloyd V; (carpenter and joiner), F. W. Lundie (laborer), G. McGregor (laborer), J. V. jO’Loughlin (journalist), J. J. O’Malley (agent and farmer), and W. H. Storey ..(builder), The voting papers are returnable by Saturday, 31st July. Mechanical slate pickers, doing the work of 10 boys have been successfully ■introduced in a Pennsylvania mine.

The Institute of Marine Engineers of the Wellington district has let a contract for £4BOO for the erection of a new building for the institute (says the “New Zealand Times”). The site is a freehold section close to the railway station. The building will be of three stories, with basement, and will contain a lecture-hall, music-room, billiardroonij library, and other suitable accommodation. In fact, it is proposed to provide the comforts of a home for members of the institute visiting the district. The furnishing will cost about £SOO, and the total cost will run into .some £7OOO. Members of the Wellington district have contributed generously to the fund* with the result that over £2OOO has been subscribed. Sir James Mills and Mr Charles Seagar each gave £SO to the fund -and the Union Steam Ship Company £SOO.

A yowig man out west had a‘ cold on his dhest, But Woods’ Peppermint Cure he derided, And he let that cold rip till life gave him the slip, For bronchitis and death coincided. The moral is clear, if you wish to stay here,. Don’t neglect your breath-box when it’s wheezy; And be warned while you’ve strength, keep a cold at arm’s length.

A recent visitor to Reeften is very much struck with the air of prosperity and hopefulness that prevails in Quartaopolis (says the N.Z. “Times”). The prospecting of old and almost abandoned claims and the successful results, and the new reefs discovered in the vicinity of the town, have given the residents a buoyancy hitherto unknown. The one-time pessimists who croaked over the introduction of foreign capital are now rank optimists, and acknowledge that foreign capital has been the salvation of Reef ton. It is anticipated by some Reeftonites that the. population of their district will 1 be more than doubled within the next decade.