LABOUR TROUBLES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1327, 3 January 1912, Page 5

LABOUR TROUBLES.

"TOO MANY IDLE DELEGATES." HOW STRIKES ABB CAUSED. By Telegraph—Press AE9ociation-Oopyright Sydney, January 2. Mr. John Brown, a well-known colliery proprietor, speaking at Newcastle, attributed the strikes amongst miners to the delegates. They sat and created trouble day after day, and sometimes, after conferences/never put the decisions reached before the men. They were like a lot of Kilkenny cats.' Mr. Brown also complained of Government interference. If the Government niado laws it should carry them out. It was unfair for the Government to act as a shield for the men, and it was not law. It was time the miners thought for themselves, and not let the delegates think for them. Everybody in Australia had been taking coal lately because there had been rumours of a strike. An alteration in the methods of settling disputes must bo made or the district would go 'down. The people must insist upon the Government saying that strikes must bo a thing of the past. If the men were determined to create strikes tin proprietors should demand that the Government instead of taking the part of the men, must give them proper protection. He .would then guarantee to work the pits. ', CKec. January 2, 10.5 p.m.) London, January 2. Four railway workers' unions have prepared a scheme of amalgamation. The new organisation will have a membership of 180,000. The present executives will bo retained for two years. THE WEAVING TRADE.

(Rec. January 2, 10.5 p.m.) London, Jamiary 2. Sir G. Askwith, of the Board of Trade, will open separate .conferences of masters and men at Manchester. Tho holiday mood of the operatives is less marked, and there are indications on both sides of a more Teady settlement. It is suggested that the weavers should withdraw from their position regarding non-union-ists, and that the masters should concede a five per cent, advance. It is possible that the conflict may result in the weaving trade securing a comprehensive charter similar to that of the spinners in the Brooklands agreement. Three nonunionists have been given a week's wages instead of notice at tho l'reston Mill. THE BAILWAY DISPUTE. London, January 1. A mass meeting of railway men at Swansea unanimously resolved that tho executives had broken all democratic rules by accepting tho Commission's report while tho baliot was in progress. It was declared imperative that tho four secretaries of tho executive should retire. DOCKERS' STRIKE SETTLED. London, January 1, The Newport strike, which affected four thousand dockers, has been temporarily settled. The dockers are hoping that tho dock companies vrill arrange with them to load the Houlcler Line boats, instead of with freo labour. A LOSS OF 10,000,000 WORKING DAYS. London, January 1. The strike of 75,000 workers during 1911 represented a loss of 10,000,000 working days, as compared with the yearly average of 1,500,000 for tho past decade. THE ACTORS' UNION. (Rec. January 3, 1.35 a.m.) Melbourne, January 2. The Actors' Union is claiming a minimum of £3 weekly, the management to provide all the wardrobo and to pay for rehearsals.