SYDNEY LABOUR COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1013, 31 December 1910, Page 5

SYDNEY LABOUR COUNCIL.

A PETER FOWLING: TESTIMONIAL . By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright, Sydney,' December 30/. ! ,TJie Labour Council defeated a motion of censure' on the Minister for Labour (Mr. Beoby) for allowing shops to open on Christmas Eve. : .The..council' received- from, the Colliery Employees' Federation/a subscription list' for a testimonial to Mr'/Peter. Bowling. Tho list was received in silence, and allowed to lie .on the •: secretary's tablo in order that memfiers desiring to do so may subscribe. V. '; \

THE -DOWNFALL OF BOWLING.

.-Writing of Mr. Bowling's successor in 'the presidency.of. the New South'' Wales Lolliory Emnloyees' Federation, the Sydney "Herald says:-" . .' "Tliq downfall of Peter Bowling is'em-' phasised by the manner of man whom the miners have chosen to succeed, him in' tho president's chair' pf the Colliery Employees' ~ Mr. David /Watson is. anything but a firebrand; ho is'a. muu of marked moderation,: and ;hopes for .mpre from his country's Legislature than from any defianco .of its laws. Mr._ Watson is a resident of Kurri Kurri,. a miner-, employed at the Stauford-Merthyr mine, and' (more "distinctly characteristic) :u ■'■local preacher; with-iv gift for emotional oratory. ■: 'In-preaching- lie. has. hitherto ; fon"nd one of his greatest joys., '. ' '"'Of the generalship which characterised Peter Bowling's five , years- of; . office,'. 'Davie' Watson lias so far given no indication. '.Bowling''did not: make unnecessary speeches, hut devoted each speech to some 'particular 'purpose,- - for the winning of some point, either with the minors pr the. employers.- (The.t is, prior to his release from gaol, when hoappeared to loss his sense of proportion;) His'successor- enjoys the long-drawn debats, arid when.he is in a meeting -the. business. drags along at a snail's pace, Bowling was quick to decide. Watson loves to take counsel,' and in momenta ous questions to follow the lead of these who can speak vith authority, or at with decisioi); "It is remarkable, that during Bowling's five years of,office his triumphal re-olec* tion synchronisedwith big strikes. Towards tho'end of" 1906 came tho dogwatch strikoon thc-Maitland field in which threatened to bring out the men at tho Newcastle end nlso. In the conference, which smoothed matter's 'over, Mr: Bowling distinguished. himself, and was then, triumphantly l'e-electcd' for another year, of office. In November of 1907, th'cro was •.a general strike, and Mr., Bowling was reelected for a third year of offico. In 1908 there was no general strike, and. at tho end of that'year Mr. Bowling was almoft defeated in the contest for the presidency, his final majority boing less than Mr. Watson's is to-day. The connection be-'tweon-.a general strike and an easy reelection as president may bo merely a .coincidence, but,, nevertheless, it impressed: men to.such.'nn extent .thai it. was whispered during 1909 that it would be strange if there were not a strike in November 'of that year. Indeed, on that fatal No-, voraoer. Sunday last year, when the lodges wero being won over, tho ohoirman of the Pclaw-Main .lodgo made reference ,to this-: coinuidenoo in tho speech , for which he was afterwards sentenced to two months' 1 imprisonment, failing tho payment of a fine of ,£IOO. AVhile that , striko was on, Bowling was, of course, re-elected. This year tlio election took .place without tho passions and prejudices prevalent whilst d striko is in being, and the result is-for all men to read."