NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 707, 5 January 1910, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

Although Mk. Joseph Chahbcrl\lN, through ill-health, has for some time dropped largely out of sight in British politics, he has latterly been taking quite a remarkable part in the election struggle. By means of manifestos and letter-writing ho has contributed materially to assist the Unionist, cause, and more especially the cause of Tariff Reform for which he has fought so ably and so long. In tho manifesto to his constituents, some extracts from which we published last week, Mn. Chambeelain take's up a line of argument which is designed to consolidate fche English vote in favour of the Unionist party- The pledge given by 'the Liberals to the Irish Nationalists, of Irish self-govern-ment, he treats as a menace to tho whole, British nation, on the ground that it threatens its at a time when unity is most essential to national safety. In view of tho unrest which has prevailed amongst a 'not inconsiderable portion of_ the people of Britain in recent times, duo to Gorman naval development and to the differences of opinion amongst military and naval experts as to Britain's preparedness for war, this appeal may have a wider effect than the oircumstances perhaps warrant, Wo directed attention a few days ago lo the fact that tho success of tho Unionists is dependent almost entirely on their ability- to convert tho English electorates. To secure the balance of power they have to win 169 seats trom the Liberal party. The total number of scats in England is 465, and of these the Liberals hold something like 330, so that in order to score a victory tho Unionists would haye to win at least half of these Liberal seats as well as retaining all the existing Unionist scats. Mr. Chamberlain's manifesto is especially calculated to further this end, and may indeed prove a vary strong card in the Unionists' platform.

Some aspects of the New South Wales coal-miners , strike are rather startling. Commenting on the unhappy position of the children of the miners who, owing to the strike, would necessarily in most cases be deprived of thoir customary Christmas pleasures, Liberty and Progress, an anti-Socialistic journal published at Melbourne, contrasts the position of leaders of the strike with that of the men themselves.

,; When the' [miners] 'association's-cheque ;.book;.was brought-into. , Court, states.'• the'journal•".mentioned,' entries .were .read' .which showed that a: printing firru had reoeived £VHO,, presumably for :work done which; under- the;neiy Act, will.not be . legal;. -.that the president» had' received' iß6'.-for salary .'.to -'November >16;* besides travelling -expenses '£9 10s.' sd.'j: and 'the sepretary-a-.Biliary of JSi- per week; otherentries- showing "Gray/; salary; (two weeks) .£8 and travelling expenses',S9'lls.,.Bd. ) : and: .so on, ; with ■• management expenses: £50. Altogether six-officials had received -,£9O besides the printing bill of ,£100. ! ... . ■ .A sum';'of -:'£So,:, equal- to.':that-.,dividedi amongst 'six. pffibialS).,was.- allotted, to. ,the ; Mount Keira Lodge 'for?distribution' amongst.its inembors. ."But/ , saysi .the official -report,, '"as -it'■-■would ;- only^pan jout- about os.'-6d. per man V.it :was de-. cided to utilise, it billy in' cases of actual, distress." As. 65. : 6d. per: man-:implies, that tbero-were;'277 claimants it.will be' readily seen that, one'.-official" is! equal,: in-'the' eye.-of^the-.. distributors, ,■ to 46 common members. ;.;i- ;•'■■: ; . .■ Moreover,; when-Mr. Bowling was-arrested ho 'aotu-'> ally had". '&''■ sovereigns -loose :in ;hiS: pockets. : 'These,'at .;his; ; request,, were: handed over to his. wife.'.'.,.. ;.;';■ • :

From these statements it will be seen that the officials at the head of the strike movement ard in a very different position to the unfortunate men they .are leading. If the officials were oh the samo footing as the men generally, and received only strike pay, there might be better prospects of an early settlement of the trouble.

According to latest files to hand tho position of the labour market in Great 1 Britain continues to improve. As the Mothor Country is the principal consumer of our produce, this must bo regarded with satisfaction from a practical, as well as from a sentimental, standpoint. The better the position of labour the greater tho spending power of the consumer. In the 416 unions, with a net membership of nearly 700,000, making returns to tho Board of Trade, 49,604 or 7.1 per cent, wero reported to bo out of work at the end of October. This is a marked improvement on the September returns find is very unusual, employment generally showing a falling off us winter approaches. Last year the percentage of unemployed in theso unions roso rapidly month after month, and at the end of October stood at 9.C por cent. An average of tho ten years 1899-1908 shows a continuous decline of unemployment during the first half of each year, followed by a gradual rise from July to December. During tho year just endod, however, tho position has been reversed and each of the three

months- .ended Gctpbcr' haa ;shown improvement instead of depression. According to tha 'Board of Trade Lahour Gazette employment has continued to improve in the iron and steel, engineering, Vand. ■shipbuilding industries, and also in : the woollen, worsted, lirion; silk, , and lace trades. Organised short time continued at mills, spinning American cotton, while other- industries, on the whole, remained- about the same as the preceding month. •: ,As com-. pared with! a year; ago all the principal industries 'hayo improved, in many"cases- to ! a considerable "extent. .■ -. :•'■■,',.'■■- y.''- : ■'.;' .-.•■ .. ;. ■•.