World of Work.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 19, 14 July 1911, Page 10

World of Work.

Notes on Labor at, Home and Abroad.

Collated by BLOCHAIRN.

According to Pennsylvania State Mines Department, it cost the lives of 1125 men to produce 231,966.070 tons of coal in 1910. A cable message, dated Sydney, July o, informed us that "the Trades Hail authorities admit that there is a shortage of labor in various industries at the present time. They claim that this is a result of labor legislation and of tho confidence of the employers in the Labor Government." What price a Labor Party in which the employers have "confidence?' On tho front page of the "N.Z. Times" tho other day there were two columns of cable news in juxtaposition, headed respectively "The World's Peace" and "Labor in Revolt." The latter will turn the capitalistic rulers' dream of the former into a nightmare for many years to come. He International Arbitration. Tho cable informs us that "Germany misunderstood the force of the proposed

treaty, the authorities in Berlin thinking that Germany would be absolutely compelled to accept arbitration, while tho United States Congress, on the other hand, was free to accept or reject it." That is, Germany thought that it, as a nation, was to be placed in the samo position as the Arbitration urt places the New Zealand worker. But "tiie authorities at Berlin" claimed tho "right to strike.' Blessed are they that expect little for, verily, they shall not be disappointed. An Australian Labor exchange says:—"The Trade Board, whose function has been described as an insistence that th"> bad employer shall the same as the good employer, has now arranged tue minimum rates. There are about 8000 home workers in Nottingham, and their N new rate of pay will bo per hour—a small sum surely—to be raised to 3d an hour in 1912. The good that is being clone, slowly but surely, for women homeworkers by the wages board is only Cradually being appreciated by the outside public." A farthing increase in 1912! And if any of those women workers die in the interim it won't be "the pace that kills," foi>that is sufficiently snail-like to satisfy the most cautious of our step-at-a-time Laborites. Tho -scribe in question seems annoyed that "the good that is being done, slowly but surely, for women" "is only gradually being appreciated by the outside public." One fancies public appreciation scarcely could be more gradual in its growth than the wages of those women workers.

The following advertisement appeared recently in the London "Evening News" :—The AVest London Parliament will meet to-night in the Council Chamber of Marylebone Hall, when Lord Robert Cecil, K.C., will move: "That in the opinion of this House, the fair division of the profits of industry as between capital and labor, is of supreme importance, and can only be secured by tho adoption of co-partnership; that being the only effective alternative form of industrial organisation to Socialism." Funny, the different points of view. Some time ago the Labor leaders, Avho fail to lead the Wellington Trades and Labour Council, favoured co-partner-ship as the next step to Socialism. Lord Robert Cecil sees in it "the only alternative to Socialism." Is it possible it can be both ? Granted, mi-lord, that it is "the only alternative," and the Wellington quidnuncs may be right after all. If it be the "only" alternative, its failure to "'make good' leaves nothing for it but the next step—Socialism. After a year's trial in the shipyard of Sir Charles Palmer it was rejected by the workers as "no solution.' In one of the London gasworks it led to the -dismissal of twenty per cent, of the workers, because in order to share in the nrofits the other eighty per cent, did the work of the twenty in addition to their own, and their share of the "profit" amounted to twenty-five per cent, of the wages of the twenty dismissed men. They call this "profit-sharing"! As the -workers grow in wisdom so will

the odds against "the only alternative," mi-lord. Distributing medals to those who had massed the examination at Aber Union Miners' Rescue Station, the first of its kind erected in South AVales, Dr. Atkinson, Chief Inspector of Mines, said the Home Office would issue instructions shortly making such stations compulsory. Sydney papers report that the newlyformed Storemen's Union at Newcastle is progressing. Most of the members in the industry are now in the Union.