LABOUR MOVEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1856, 16 September 1913, Page 8

LABOUR MOVEMENT.

MR. D. M'LAREN'B INVESTIGATIONS. At tho Trades Hall last night, MP. D. M'Laren delivered an addresu touching on his visit to Waihi, and tho north. Mr. W. H. Hampton presided. Referring to a visit to Auckland, Mr. M'Laren said that from all appearances business aijd trade were brisk in the northern city, and that tho general activity was reflected in the Labour movement there. Sinco his previous wait there a substantial Trades Hall had been erected, which brought the unions into much closer contact with ono another. The labour, organisations wero showing great activity, but ho found that the Builders' and General Labourers' Union tliero was in, u weak condition, and would take some time to recover from the effects of the shock that it passed through. He .-addressed a number of tho unions, and found that several of them would stand to tho United Labour party. Ho found also that tho unions there were strong in regard to maintaining their distinct trades' federations. What inquiries 110 .made into the living conditions of tho workers showed that they wore very heavily burdened iti rent. Houses which a few years ago were letting at from 12s. to 14s. per week were now being let at from 17s. Gd. up to £1 per week. Tho exceedingly high value .of land was going to break the back of Auckland's prosperity if not checked. From Auckland Mr. M'Laren visited Waihi and mado investigations. Ho found that there was a largo number of men employed in tho mines, but it would take Waihi some time yet to recover from the strike of last year. From evidence which 110 procured, it was clear that men had attached themselves to tho old union who went out preaching tho rankest kind of anarchism until the minds of the workers becamo inflamed, with the resulting upheaval. He also found ovidenco that men who had come in when the mines wore opened had very little sympathy with true unionist principles; but the main body of tho men appeared to him as fair-minded or ; diuary workers. In addition, he visitcG and spoko at Wailtino, and also mei some men at Karangaliake. Ono thins which impressed him in regard to thes< mining towns, such as Karangaliake, was the need of improved social condk tions for a people who Tired 111 depressing environment. Mr. M'Laren alsc described visits to other centres.