JOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1920, Page 2

JOTTINGS FROM THE LOBBY

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October 6. QUESTION OF AWARDS. The Minister for Labour (Sir W. Herries) said to-day that Government had no objection to dominion awards, but a dominion award was a different thing from a Dominion Union. In i view of the present state of labour un--1 rest, the opinion of Government was that it was not desirable to have Dominion unions, which' could be united and worked as one big union. The avowed object of the Seamen’s union was to have a dominion union in order to amalgamate with Australian union, i That would be creating a combination that would be very powerful and that might paralyse industry. | INDENTURED LABOUR, j The Minister for External Affairs, (Hon Lee) stated to-day that on July 28th last Government received a eable- ' gram from.the Imperial authorities asking if there was any objection to the I publication of certain cablegrams relating to indentured labour in Samoa. He had replied that there was no objection. He thought the cablegrams would be put before the House if asked for. Mr McCombs gave notice to move accordingly. i it has been suggested in discussions j on this point that the British Government objected to the use of indentured labour at Samoa and that the New Zealand Government considered the contin ued use of this labour to be essential, i COAL SUPPLY. The Prime Minister states that ship- ■ ments of coal from Australia are proceeding at a fairly satisfactory pace. The chief difficulty at ipresent seems to be the loading of available ships. Aus--1 tralian waterside workers are conumng ' i work to certain hours of the day, an ships are unable to get their cargoes as 1 fast the coal is available. Th,s trouble ' is accentuated by the keen demand for c oal within the Commonwealth.