MISCELLANEOUS.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 March 1927, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS.

'Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.]

BRITISH POLITICS. LONDON, March 24. The Cabinet have reached a final decision to deal with the political levy of the Labour Unions in the Government’s forthcoming Trade Union Bill. The Bill will stipulate that a levy shall not be ilayable by any trade unionist unless lie specially contracts to do so. A member at present is obliged to pay unless lie contracts out. The Cabinet intends substituting contracting in.

JAP FINANCIAL PANIC. TOIvIO, March 23. The Japanese Government has stayed the financial ]|inie by giving an assurance of unconditional support to all the hanks. The American timely forty million bond loan subscription has tended materially to assure the public.

COAL TROUBLES. PARIS, March 29

A general French coal strke is threaiened on the first ol April. I lie coalowners are insisting on an eight per cent reduction in wages, to which the men refuse to agree. .The miners are paraphrasing Air Cook’s English slogan with “Not a centime off the pay unless cheaper living is on the way!’ There is also trouble on the Ruhr coalfields .The owners and miners there arc refusing to accept the Government assessor’s report.

COMMUNIST PARTY DISSOLVED. WARSAW, March 23. The Polish Government has dissolved the Independent Peasant Party, which is composed of six “While” Russians. The grounds of the dissatisfaction are the Party’s activities. Documents that were seized have disclosed that these Russians have been communicating with Moscow. Many of their supporters were arrested. PAR LI A M ENTARY SPEECH LIMIT. OTTAWA, March 22. The Commons, in Committee of the whole approved a rule limiting speeches in the House, with few exceptions, including the Premier and 1/Ca.der of the Opposition, and ministers moving a Government order, to 40 minutes at a time in any debate. AUSTRALIAN TNDUSTRIAL MISSION. NEW A’OR K. .March 23. The Australian Industrial .Mission has visited the motor industries at Dotroit. They found skilled employees at the Cadillac Works earning to IKS shillings per week. The unskilled machinist's earnings range from 140 to 160 shillings per week. It is all piece work, and thov work fifty hours weekly.

The Mission also inspected the testing tracks of the General Motors, where the mechanics l>egin at £2S per month, rising to be technical engineers earning £OO 1 1 month, while full engineers get £IOO per month. These rates are for forty-eight- hours weekly. The Mission inspected the Berkley Gay Furniture Coy works, where the spindle carvers are earning to 250 shillings per week of filly hours on piece work.

CANADA REBUFFED. WASHINGTON. March 24. The United States will not make a reciprocity agreement with Canada along the'lines that have been suggested by the Canadian Premier, Mr McKenzie King, uncording to Senator Watson, the Republican Leader, who declared that Canada will want to exchange her foodstuffs for L.S.A. manufactured goods. I his was out of the question. Senator Watson asserted that the farmers of the United States would never stand for that.