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Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16155, 8 March 1918, Page 6

While awaiting the result of tho Tunnel League's consideration of the letter from the Minister for Public "\vorks — in which tho labour question is mentioned—tlie League may be interested in the present distribution of the Department's employees. Tho February "Abstract of Statistics" gives the number of artisans and labourers employed on railways and other public works during January. Of the 739 men engaged in road work, 18G are employed in this island and 553 (or three times as many) are working in the North Island. As for tho railway works, there wore BG9 men employed, and of thes e 238 were working in this island and 631 in tho North. Two of the northern sections were occupying tho time of more mon than are engaged on tho Otira-Bealey section, and ono was not far behind, thus: — Mon . Whangarei-North Auckland 111 * 105^' Trunk ... ... ... 194 Maunganui-Taneatua ... IGI Otira-Boaley ... 252 Stratford-Main Trunk ... 11l An example of the way in wiiicfj trades unionism occasionally dovelops into a tyranny is afforded bv the latest strike in New Zealand—that of tho Milierton Miuprs' Lnion. The imion appears to have struck a lovy 011 its members of 2} per cont., presumably of their earnings in a fortnight, lor the benefit of "victims" of tho Australian strike. We are not tokl who' these "victims" are—whether the wives and children of strikers or some of the strikers themselves. The strike was one of the most uncalled-for disturbances of its kind that Australia uas ever known. It cost Now South Wales millions, and nmong its other eonsiquences was the delay in sending any at least one hospital ship. It was possibly on this account that ton members of the Millerton Union refused to pay the levy, with the result that the union dcuided to cease work. The mino was idle all' day bn Tuesday, and, so far as wo have heard, work has not yet. been resumed, and tr.l3 at a tirt.o whtMi Ihe Dominion nsuds every pound of :.oal that can bo raised. The minors presumably were working under an award, and whatever the reason for tho strike the Labour Department should take prompt steps against those who have brought about the trouble.

There was, by the way, a timely reference to the recent Australian strike in the latest Sydney papers. A certain Senator Grant had been accusing the State Government of victimising tho strikers, a charge which provoked the Minister for Labour to remind him of what took place at the beginning of the strike. The Government, he said, pleaded with the men not to leave their work, pointed out what the inevitable result would be, and kept their jobs open for them for a week after the striko was declared. Eventually the railway unions wero warned that if the Government were compelled to employ loyalist labour to keep tho public services in operation, such laljour, if competent, would have the right to continue in the State service. Senator Grant, who did nothing to influence the men against striking or to induce them to abandon their folly, "now condemns the Government," continued the Minister "for carrying out the obligations jnto wliioh it entered when- tho strike was in progress." The suggestion that any of the strikers were black-listed was described as a pure invention —tho Government was doing everything in its power to get tho men buck into employment. "But tho effect of the strike is still felt, and will be felt, for some time to come."