LABOR NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2586, 21 August 1909, Page 2

LABOR NOTES.

THE STEEL TRUST. According to the "Labor Leader’ (England), it is shown in the report of the Steel Trust for the year 1907 that the gross profits amounted to "no less than'192,847,000d01. Out of this enormous gum 63,000,000d0l were distributed as dividends. The Trust also acquired their biggest competitors up to that time—viz.j the Tennessee Coal, Iron, and Railroad Company—for which they paid 34,000,000 dollars out of the profits. AH this is taken by those who own the Steel Trust. The report then goes on to show that the men who do the work received in salaries and wages ■ Y?.825,822d01. This sum includes'the officials’ salaries as well as the workmen’s wages. Thus we see that to those who work goes 360 million dollars, and to those who wait (for the “swag”) goes 192 million dollars, or 32 milUdn more in profits than goes in wages, etc-. AVliafc is true of the Steel Trust in America under Protection is also true of industries in England under Freetradc. The profits of the capitalist class under any fiscal arrangement always tend to increase in fax greater ratio than do wages—nay, it is a fact that while profits, etc;., increase, the wages of the workers tend in the aggregate to decrease. It is a fact that during the last twelve years in England the amount taken as rent, interest, and profit has increased by no less than .-0323,000.000 per annum, and it is also a fact that wages are lower in the aggregate to-day than they w-ero in IDOB " • Amount on which Income Tax was assessed,:— 1895 ... £657,097,077” 1907 989,000,000 Increase in 12 years £322,902,923 AA’hnt a glorious and thrice-blessed system is that which shows such progress —for the few ! How the workers should rejoice! Tariff Reform or Freetrr.de, the results are just tht same. ITEAIS OF INTEREST. (By Unionist.) The AVellington. Labor paper, the “AVeekly Herald,” suggests a special Trades Councils’ Conference, to form a political organisation. The Christchurch Trades Council contemplates paying off a large part of the mortgage on its trades hail. AVellington Plasterers’ Union desire an amendment to the Scaffolding Act. A recent fatal accident has shown a weakness in the statute. A case of interest to unions is that of the A\ 7 anganui Drivers’ Union, wlii-ch sued one of its members, James

■iiigan, for £1 10s, being arrears of contributions, 19s 6d, and fines 10s 6d. In giving judgment for the amount claimed, Air AY. Kerr, S.AI., said ho was not sure that the 'fines had been legally inflicted, as no notice of them had been given to defendant; however, on account of the importance of the case, he would allow the. union’s solicitor a fee of £1 Is. There are more than eighteen hundred unionists- affiliated to the Dunedin Trades Council.

It is proposed by the colonial executive of the New Zealand Trades Councils, that the costs in connection with the recent Appeal Court case, ill the matter of the jurisdiction of the Arbitration Court over local bodies shall be distributed over the eight councils in New Zealand. The ex-Labor agitator, Air J. F. Cirby, who for many years been a familiar figure in the Arbitration Courts of the Dominion, where ha has always appeared to look after the interests of the Union Steam Shipping Company, has left the service of tho Company, and is believed to have sailed for Sydney on July 23rd from AVellington. ” His'’ loss will be much felt by the Company, as he for years has used the knowledge and experience obtained formerly as a Labor man. for the benefit of his employers, and appeared at all cases before the Court from end to end of the Dominion, in which seamen were concerned. Some time ago,. Air Kirby was sent to London, in the interests of the U.iS.S. C-, to tho International Shipping Conference. - The Auckland AA 7 aterside AVorkers’ Union arc taking a decisive stop to counteract the present high price of bread, by the institution of a “Northern Uni onists’ Co-operative Distributing Society.” The grievance is—qnd a substantial one at that—that tho price of a 21b loaf in Auckland, viz., 4d, is too high for the price, of flour, and they point to Dunedin, where,.with a Co-operative Bakery in full swing, the bread has not been advanced beyond 3d per 21b loaf. The enercgtic A\ 7 aterside AVorkers have approached the other Auckland Unions to go in with them in their proposals, and so far, over 30 unions have been visited by 'delegates, addresses given, and 26 unions have appointed three delegates each to draw up rules and a constitution. for the new co-operative venture. The Auckland general laborers' award provides for a minimum wage of from Is to Is 3d per hour for the various workers coming within its scope. The award represents an increase of a halfpenny per hour to 5: majority of worjiers engaged on buildings. Application, for a fresh award m the industry has been made by the Atanawatu Flaxmili Employees’ Union. Tho present award expired on 12th August. The question of wages is the main difficulty in the way of a settlement of the dispute now occurring. For a long while past the mill-owners have complained about the rates of pay being too high. The workers, however, are now asking for a- still further increase on the award rate. Mr Hally, Industrial Commissioner, will have a conference with both sides shortly. Tho half-yearly meeting of the AVellington Letterpress Printers’ Machinists’ Union was held last week. The report show's that a number of members are out of employment, and submits that those in employment should levy themselves to assist their less fortunate brethren. The balance-sheet shows £65 5s lOd in cash to the credit of the Union. Other items bring the assets up to £IOB 2s Id. The secretary, Air J. O’Connor, has found it necessary to

tender his resignation, and thanks the members arid master printers generally for their courtesy to him during the period he has acted in that capacity. Owing to the postponement of the Parliamentary session, and the consequent shortening of hands in the Government Printing Hflice, the present scarcity of employment is more severely felt by the members of this Union than by tlie other printers’ machinists* unions in the Dominion. However, it is hoped that as soon as the “big talking shop” starts again the men will all lx) employed again. In the meantime it is a case of “Live horse, that ye may have grass!”