MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1923, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. ISLAND OF LEWIS. LORD I,EVERITULATE'S PRINCELY GIFT. LONDON, September 5. The “Daily Tolegraplijls” Glasgow correspondent says Lord LeVerhnlm'e is going to Australia in November. Before sailing' he will offer the people of the Island of Lewis all his interests in the island, which have cost him £1,000.000. Tho- gift wall, Include a gas-works, an offal factory, a steam laundry, and other buildings.

Tile offer is the outcome of a long quarrel with the islanders, which arose through Lord Leverhulmo’s desire to organise the fishing industry and 10build Fort Stornaway, which alone would have cost £500,000. A handful of fishermen and crofters successfully fought the proposed industrialisation of Lewis, and Lord Loverhulmo has now withdrawn from the island after making liis present princely gift. (Lord Levcrlnilmo purchased the fsland of Lewis in the Outer Heb-'idos, some years before the war. When ho was created a viscount last year considerable criticism was aroused ly Ms having the viscounty designated the AYestern Isles.”),

TRADE UNION CONGRESS. A CAMPAIGN THAT FAILED. LONDON, September 4. The question of the failuro of the “Back to the Union” campaign was discussed at tho Trades Union Congress at .'Plymouth. Several delegates were inclined to bianio the executive for tho failure, while others said tho fault lay with the local people. ATr Havelock Wilson, speaking amidst interruption, contended that the executive was to blame for the kind of men sent out to preach “hack to the union.” Some of these men lad done everything possible to drive men out of the unions. “Back to the union”

was a good cry, but they should tell the truth. The campaign would lot succeed if they promised big wages if the men would only come back. Mr Cook (South W«los miners) said that they had had experience of Air Havelock Wilson and his union. Ho agreed with the principle of tolling the truth, and. if the whole truth were told, it would not lie to the benefit of Air Havelock Wilson, who had been running with the hare and hunting with the hounds. (Uproar).

Mr E. Shimvell, ALP., said that the trade unionists had found Air Havelock Wilson out long ago. He was a traitor to tile miners. Air G. E. Bovin, secretary of the Transport Workers’ Union, in a sensational speech, accused tho' Workers’ Union of unscrupulously intervening, and stabbing the transporters in the hack in order to make members for their own union. The Workers’ Union should bo ostracised by the Trade Union movement, and declared a “yellow union.” Scores of delegates sprang up to reply.” Air N. Alt-Lean, A1..P., and others passionately repudiated Mr Bevins's allegations. The Congress decided to go to the next business, amidst cries of “Don't wash, dirty linen in public.”