any mztUball. Wctoo ixjßLlbHiUj. DAIJLX WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12th, 1911.

Grey River Argus, 12 April 1911, Page 4

any mztUball . Wctoo ixjßLlbHiUj. DAIJLX WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12th, 1911.

Far and away the most conspicuous feature of the present day is the seething- labour troubles of one kind or another. Scarcely a day passes, so to speak, without news of labour trouble somewhere. In yesterday's issue alone are several instances of what we refer to. /though these labour strikes- and disturbances may riot always seem to be either wise or well grounded, they must be accepted as unmistakable evidence that the"" organisation of- society of the present day is imperfect in some important respects and calls for adjustment. As rational people, one of the most pressing; duties of society is to discover in what respect our system of social economy is defective, and to improve the machinery" Where it needs improvement. It is impossible chat there should be such ! an allpervading state of unrest amongst the industrial classes of the world without a remediable cause. Looking through our telegraphic columns* yesterday morning we find "that there is another strike at Broken Hill, r which is "seldom without a strike of some sort on hand. • This time the strike is for double pay for overtime instead of time and a half, as is generally the case. But when we learn that the overtime for last year did not amount to £5 one is inclined to question whether such a trifle warranted a strike. Was the game worth the candle? Then there is trouble brewing- at Sydney in the boot and shoe trade. Because women have been allowed to do a certain class ot work that could be done by apprentices, the Union threatens to call out the employees of such firms as persist in carryinjr the award into eftect. Though we are unacquainted

Mth the merits of the case,, it would seem from the wording of the telegram that the 'Union is fighting" | against the award of a labour tri- ' ounal, which would appear to .be at onde arbitrary and unreasonable. If .awards are not to' be upheld, then treetrade and individual bargaining must once more be resorted to. 'The next lafrdur trouble is the strike of the implement makers, who chose to lay down the principle that it is disgraceful and degrading; to ask a unionist to worki alongside of a nonunionist. This practically means that a non-unionist should .not be given work at all", thus striking a fatal .blow at the freedom of action of the' individual. Without drawing any invidious comparisons between unionism and non-unionism, every man ought to. have the right to join a union or not, as his conscience dictates to him.. To deny him that right is industrial tyranny, afid violates all our "established ideas of BiritisbT fair play. This strike of implement makers has been kept going for months out of trade union funds. The strike orig-inated ; by some 20QQ unionists going out because, a few non-union-ists were employed. The principle sought tp be maintained goes a long way beyond preference to unionists, and would make it impossible for a non-unionist to live at all. Accorcting to the . cable news the strike has proved to be a failure, as it is said that thousands of non-unionists are working; and as the. employers seem 10 be getting on satisfactorily they do not intend, to dismiss the nonunionists. It is not surprising- that Labour should fail when it takes up an impossible attitude such as that adopted by the implement workers. The day may come when all workers will be unionists, but until such time as that is brought about non-union-ists ought to be allowed to work for a living. It is only a few weeks ago since the British Labour Party introduced a "Right to Work Bill," in the House of Commons, based on the principle that every man has as much ngnt to demand that the State shall hnd work for him at a remunerative wage as he has to be allowed to live. The Bill was rejected by a majority of 225 votes, and its most destructive opponent was the redoubtable memuer tor Battersea; He opposed the iJiIl. on the ground that it would mean- the setting tip of relief works and the undermining- of the "morale ot the workers; ajad most of those who have had much experience of Me will be ilkely to 'agree with him 111 that view. It would be wrong to suppose that Mr Burns has no sympathy with the workers because he opposed the Right to Work Bill. He only objects to the proposed method of relief because his experience of life has convinced him of its error. The only other labour trouble that calls for notice at present is the demand made by the general labourers tor the Wellington City Council for an increase in their pay, which chey allege is not a living; wage. -The pay of the permanent hands seems to be -as -a" day, or £2 8s a week.. The question has been under discussion oy a committee of the Council and the representations of the general laDourer. But they have failed to decide what a living wage is. Wirh the rents and prices of the necessaries of life at Wellington, 8s a dr.y will not afford many luxuries, '/'here nave been times when workers v/cie aDie to get on very comfortably oh even less than 8s a day. Indeed the casual hands employed by the corporation Kave to get on somehow vith less. When we learn that at least 30 per cent of the wages of the worK^r has to go to the landlord for *ent. and. when we know, as we - also cio.that the price of the necessaries of lite, such as. food and clotting 1 , mvariabiy mount up in the scale of prices to correspond with the rise in rent, tlie secret of all this tribulation to the' poor worker_lies in. the inflated price of land. We all work for the landlord, who does not work, at ail] and as long, as our social s.ystem remains as it is sdciety must continue to work for tEe benefit 1 1 the landlords. Until we adopt an t onomical system that will have the eft err 01 cheapening land, there caa be ro »eiiei ior the .troubles of the working classes. We may pass the Right to 'AorK. Bill and give preference to unionist 5 ; we might even dr>y*i every .non-unicaist out of the country, arid aie poor workers would itill te as oaaiy oi as ever. : As long as the vvaru Government will g-et mocey trom the people to buy out bleated landlords and thus keep up the pi^e of land, what can be expected but seething unrest and discontent amongst the industrial classes? They are discontented and ready to clamour about anything. A terrible outcry is raised by Labour bfaust of the importation of a few fine fresh healthy British ,boys, as if their pres^ ence would ruin the country. The idea is ridiculous It would seem that the zeal of the officers of labour is sometimes apt to outtun their discretion. .' '.'.."

Mr, John Dunphy, father of Mr Richard. D,unphy ; .,and of iMr Edward Dunphy, iof Reef ton, expired at his residence, Christchurch, on Saturday evening, aged. B3 years.

A miner named ißurns was injured on Monday night, by , a fall of stone in the Keep-it-Dark mine. -He was conveyed to the Hospital where his injuries were attended to. ■ ;

There, have been 470 miners' rights taken out' in Reertton up to 31st March.

It is a fine record (says the Feilding- Star) to find that in Apiti, situated some, thirty miles from the nearest, town, v the technical school roll Has reached; an ' average of '80 students", that 'the fees paid and capitation earned has. enabled the classes to' be worked at a profit, and that the g-enerosity of the people has provided towards the cost .of * sr-hoo'l buildirigi ; which is admirnolv adarjted for technical classes and a credit, to the: 'district from an architectural point of. .view..

Mr J. 11." iMcAlahon, mine manager 01 tne xsew isig.d<iver Mine, when in Wellington last Christmas (says the .inangahua Herald) \vas 'Very 'gen 7 erousiy presented with a skiff by Mr Samuel iGilmer, proprietor 61 the Royal Oak, Wellington, who is the largest shareholder in the tNew Big River iMihei The*bo L at is a cred it to the builder (Mr Brown, of Grey : mouth.) It is 12 feet long by' 4 feet 6 inches beam, built of kawaka, fitted with oak oars, painted inside and out, with the name "Royal Oak" on the stern. The ,donor .has . presented it to the miners and residents of trie Big River for use on that company's large dam, "Lake Oak." Two men in the; Rakaia district, by the use of bird traps, earned ah avferage of £5 los per jyeet. between them over a period of three monihs 1 , selling the heads to the Ashbur.tpn County Council. The largest catch? es were generally obtained early in ' the morning, the retbrd for one pull . of the . trap being 750 fully grown birds. This 'one •' catch 'realised tKe sum of .£3 2s 6d. "Any fool can spend money," said Dr Newman at the meeting of. Jthe Wellington Rugiby Unipn on Wednesday evening/- "but ii takes a clever . fellow to earn it. When there" "was unemployment while I was .Mayor people were always coming 'to me asking me to find work. : I could easily have found work for a million people. The trouble 1 was to find a little .money to pay . them ,• with." ■■■■"■ It is stated that a Southern retail butcher has offered' a Hawkes Bay grower 32 S per 1001 b for beef for delivery in July. This works out at practically 4d per lb, so the price to the consumer would 'be about 9d and 8d per lb for choice cuts. There will be racing at Omqto " to-day when" the Autumn meeting of the Greymouth Jockey Club commences and will be concluded on Saturday next. The fields will be the largest ever 'witnessed in GreymoutH and the class of horses that are competing are far and away above the . average, so lovers of the "sport of kings" will not loose anything by' be ■ ing present at they meeting. The weather has every appearance of being fine. ■'..".'"".

A Hawera telegram! reports that the subdivision into four sections of afarm of 248 acres at Kapuni, Waimate Plains, resulted in the land being 1 sold by auction at an average of .£43 6s per acre to local buyers. The monthly meeting, of 'the Cham ber of Commerce has been postponed for one week. , ■Messrs G. W. Moss and Co. will sell at their rooms this morning at L 1.30. 30 o'clock the building adjoining the Presbyterian Manse for removal. The Omoto racecourse and the new ly finished appointments^ which assist materially to make ithe property look a most prosperous one. is at the present time looking at. its best. The rain that has recently fallen has freshened up the grass arid everywhere one casts a gaze the eye is met with a brig-htness that helps to make life worth living. We feel sure * that all., who visit Omoto today will be loud in their praises of the appearance of things generally. A much needed work was put in operation on the Omoto \Road yesterday when two men were put on to rake the looie metal off "the- road. They got through their work splendidly, and the road now presents quite a neat appearance that will be much appreciated by all who have occasion to use same. The Greymouth ißaces (first day) will commence to-day at 1 p.m. sharp. Record acceptances. r Nine likely starters for the big money. Excel* lent improvements. Don't fail to have an afternoon's enjoyment. — . Advt. The friends of E. W. Wickes will regret to learn that he is confined to his .residence with a sharp attack of quinsy, and will wish him a speedy recovery. The (Blackwater Dredge has jdeclared a dividend of 1$ (one shilling) per share payable on Thursday, 13th inst. The Racing Commission iby leav- ! ing Nelson on Saturday morriing and j visiting Westport, >Reefton, Greymouth, Kumara and Hokitika Racecourses, and then arriving in Christchurch on Monday evening, accomplished a journey in three days which { was- set out by the Tourist Department to occupy seven days. This *iio\vs conclusively what can be done */« *Vese times with modern conveyMrfs. The season for imported game commences on Ist May continuing till 31st July. ' ' ! A miner named Burns has been admitted to the iHospHal suffering from the effects of injuries received through a fall of stone in the Keep-it-Dark Mine, on Monday. ' By the ißeeftori train yesterday . morning, General Godley and party arrived, en route to Hokitika. The party -visited the State Mine in the afternoon where {they .were 'shown over the works by Mr James Bishop, subsequently leaving for Hokitika, re- J turning to Greymouth on Thursday i and remaining here till .Saturday. Trathen and Co. are now showing some smart ladies winter coats in navy, grey, .green and heather mixtures at 15s 6d, 21s, 255, to 38s 6d each. Also the laltest in tweed costumes in all colours from 24s to' 70s each. — Advt. Trathen and Co. have just opened up a new range of : dress goods in ] tweed, face cloths, serges, etc., all the newest colourings from Is 9d to 4s 'lid per yard. Also some exceptional value in costume skirts in navy and black at 6s 6d, 7s lid, 10s 6d and 15s 6d each. Also 60.moirette underskirts' all. colours. Note address : Trathen and Coy. Boundary Street. — Advt. The Acclimatization 'Society notify that fallow deer bucks may be taken or killed within the Grey District, from April 4th Ito June 3rd, 1911, and , that licenses may be obtained from the Chief Postmaster at Greymouth. Elsewhere Messrs Mark Sprot and Co., of Hokitika, advertise a special j sale of store sheep at Arahura at an early date. The consignment is coming from Canterbury and consists of store wethers and breeding ewes. Full particulars as to date of sale will be given later. A contract has been signed for the erection of the new Presbyterian Church on the section adjoining the Manse in Tainui Street. Messrs Kelsall and Son are \the contractors, the contract price being ,£3,690 (or £10 less than the architect's estimate) which, with the £700 already paid for the section, makes roughly speak-, ing, an initial cost of £3.400. The architects are Messrs Salmond and Vanes, of Dunedin. At noon yesterday (says the .Guardian )Messrs Mark Sprot and Co. disposed of the following rights on behalf of the Westland Racing Club for their forthcoming Easter meeting: — Grandstand booth, £44 10s, and outside booth £29 ho Mrs tßriggs. Refershment booth £9 to Mr H. Preston. Cards of races £10 to West Coast Times. After the sale of Racing Club rights, the right of a booth j on Cass Square for Easter Monday, was sold to Mr J. J. Mclntosh for £7 10s. The following, will represent the Star Fourth Grade in their match with United on the Park on Saturday at iO a.m. :— Backs : WaJtbn, Fry, Oxenham, Deere, Egan, Hogan, Mundy; forwards: Bowman^ /Goodman, Aston, J. Moynihan, Okeby, 11. Prinjr, Rothwell Conaghan. Emergencies : . Potberry, Ffaser. All the above arc requested to attend; the Gymnasium at 7 p.m. At the annual meeting of the Gun Club the following officers were,elected for the ensuing year .-—Patron : Dr ■J. W. Mcßrearty; President :_E. J. Smith ; Vice-Presidents : J_ Brown, F. Grifferi and Dr C. Morice; Committee : A. Good, L. Lord, J. Fanslow ; Referee : A. .Good ; ' Secretary, and Treasurer : A. Coumbe. In the Magistrate's Court _yester- . day judgment was giyeni for plaintiffs * by default in the following cases, viz: —Thomas and iMoßeath <(Mr Doogan).. v. 'J. 1 'Kirwin 'claim' £'l 17s 2d,; costs 5s ; ; same v. G. Levien, claim 19s @d, coW.s ss; W. Holder] and Son (Mr Guinness) v. E. W. Paine, claim £12 2s 9d, costs 15s, solicitor's fee 15s 6d; E. Barlow and Co;, v: A: Beil, claim 16s, costs -ss; Greymouth Municipal Corporation (Mr/ Hanhan) v. C/ C. Sheehan, claim £4, costs ss, solicitor's fee 5s ; Harley and Co., Ltd., (Mr Sargent) v: J. Fritas, claim 10s; costs ss ; iR. Hannah and Co.; v.' Mrs R. Thompson, Nelson, claim 135," costs ss: same v. W, Stanley, claim 75. 6 d, costs os ; same v. J.Yountn an,, claim 17s 3d,; rosts" ss ; same V: A. Sullivan, rlaim. J9s sd,^ costs^ J>s ; same r v. ;O. Backman, claim £1 12s- 6d, costs ss ; same v. .Bert SpieTs, Murchison, claim £1 17s 4d, costs ss.

. The usual weekly meeting of the Mutual Improvement Society will be held this (Wednesda}') evening at S p.m. sharp. All members requested to attend. Elocutionary evening. Baby had a horrid pain, / Chucked away his dummy, -Squirmed and screamed and squirmed again. (Frightened his poor Mumnry. • Till at last she could endure Baby's cries and screams no more, Gave him Woods' Great' Peppermint Cure Soothed his little tummy. The following teams has been selected to represent the Grey Gun Club in a challenge match with the Totara Flat Gun Club on Friday:— Dr J. Mcßrearty, D. . iMoßrearty, H' Hartland, J. C. Duncan, E. .^Perkins, C. Gleeson, A. Xoumbe, P. Tanscy, ?I; Hiidd, L. Lord, J. Fanslow, A. Morse and H. James. , Seventeen areas in' Westlan- land district have been gazetted as scenic reserves. They "are arranged as follows :— ißapahoe Range 1700 acres ; Omotumoto, 1200 acres ; Lake Ryan, 13 acres ; Mount T Kinga, 8850 acres.; Kakapotahi, 86 acres ; Waitangi Toana River Banks, 230 acres; Okarito •River ißanks, 1266 acres ; Lake Manourika, 5500 acres :' Watoroa 1320 acres ; Rohutu, 1214 acres ; Wilberg Range, 1680 acres; Pukenura, 400 acres; Waitana, 1145 acres; iNukonui, 1000 acres; Waiho River ißank, 99 ; and Lake Kaitano 1450 acres. With the two-fold object of making the administration more effective, and of increasing efficiency, the Ambulance Society's distircts on Uhe West' Coast have been re-organised. The Grey icorps, comprising* ithe G'areymouth nursing- division, the Greymouth A. division, Reefton A. division and all other divisions in the Grey County will . be under the immediate supervision of AssistantChief Superintendent Wilson, Avhililt the Westland corps, consisting of Hokitika A. division, Hokitika nursing divison, Ross A. Division and all other divisions in the Westland Countywill be controlled by Assistant-Chief Supcritendent Graiilt. .'•- The Westland County Council yesterday received a letter from the Customs Department, notifying the export of 2020zs 17d\vts 22grs of gold, valued at ,£8132, from the port of Grey, the product of We~stland, on which £25 5s 3d duty had been collected on account of the Gold Miners' ..Relief Fund. Mr Bruce moved that the Council protest against the duty being collected. The miners in his district objected to the payment as they would .gain no 'benefit. Mr Clifton seconded and endorsed the protest pointing out the tax would give no return Uo individual alluvial miners. The Chairman supported the motion. After discussion the motion ' was withdrawn in favour of -the Chairman and Mr Bruce being" appointed to represent the Council c at a public meeting to be held at Rimu on the matter. We would draw attention of wholesale and retail (buyers to an important advertisement re Highlander Milk which appears m another column. Owing to statements of shortage, etc., made by iresponsible persons regarding the celebrated "Highlander Milk, Messrs Tansey and Co., West Coast agents, have been authorised by their principals to informed general buyers that there is a plentiful supply and that there will be no advance in prices. j. .-■-..