AUSTRALIAN NEWS. Trade Affairs in Australia. The Melbourne Unemployed. Melbourne, August 10.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 160, 28 August 1886, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. Trade Affairs in Australia. The Melbourne Unemployed. Melbourne, August 10.

Four hundred of the, Melbourne" unemployed held a meeting iri'fche old Supreme Court building on Wednesday) ' The speechmaking was of a violent tendency. About 150 of the men ' perambulated the street's, as they did on Tuesday. Extra police have been told off to watch- these proceedings. On the following day 300 free railway passes 'were issued to the men, and the majority of the recipients have proceeded to the country districts, where they are promised work. ■* The Timber Employees. ' The Timber Yard Employes Association demand the expulsion t of) non-union men from the yards. The masters refuse to comply.

The Iron Trade Difficulty. Melbourne, August 12 There is a growing disposition not' to insist on the lock- ouc. Two meetings of the employers were held yesterday, and' it was finally decided to adjourn in' order to give the trade an opportunity of showing that they do not 'sympathise with the demands of "Robinpon's men, who admit that" their main ' difference with the firm is because they insist on their right to employ one non-union man. Messrs. Forman and Munro decline to join the lock-out, and Langslanda' Foundry will only do so conditional on non-unionists, and that the Employers' Association recoup 1 the loss. If these were to join the tramway trust contracts would be stop pad, and an immense number of other men thrown out of employment. Brazil,' the non unionist, who is the cause of the strike, says that he was attacked by his fellow-workmen six- weeks ago, badly beaten, and had his thigh broken, The Amalagated Society of Engineers, who do not sympathise with the Ironworkera' 'Assistants, have ; £290,000 in hand, each member paying 6d a week extra in order to bring up the total to £350,000. The society paid £JOO,OOt during the recent strike in Sunderland, England. The Queensland Trades and Labour Council. A meeting of the Trades and Labour Council last night agreed to support the seamen against the shipowners, and decided not to send a representative to the Adeliade Trade Congress, aa only five of the societies represented in the Council were willing to contribute towards the cost. The Briclunalcers' Strike. Sydney, Aug. 12. A deputation of master bricklayers waited on the Colonial Secretary at 12 30 pm. today to put before him certain allegations as to the conduct of some of the men out on strike for the eight hour eyetem. It was stated that the men out on strike at one yard would proceed to intimidate those who stayed at work at another yard where they were not known Bricks were said to have been thrown through windows, legs kicked and clothes torn off men's backs, and threatening language used to men not on strike. In one ,caee a master bookmaker had te keep five men in his own house all night, thoy being afraid to go to their own homes for fear of violence and intimidation. The deputation said they could get plenty of men for them if they were only protected. Mr Dibbs informed several members of the deputation who detailed acts of intimidation of which they had been witness that they should have followed the offenders until they came to a policeman and have given them in charge. If they would not do something of this kind offenders could not be punished, as the police could not be everywhere. He read them the portion of tho Act of Parliament bearing on intimidation, and said that all he . wanted, and all the police wanted, was evidence of identification in order to prosecute. Of course the men took care not to offend when the police were present. The deputation suggested that another element— evidently the detective element — should be introduced. A mass meeting was held on the 11th in the Protestant Hall, when the following resolutions were adopted : -(1 ) "That it ia desirable in the interest of the working clasees that eight hours shall be recognised principle of labour, and that this meeting approves of any movement which tends to consolidate and extend the same." (2.) "That this meeting endorses the action of the brickmakers, and pledges itself to give fullest sympathy and support in their endeavour to abtain the eight-hour system of labour."

The Eight-hours' Movement. At the last meeting of St. Peter's Municipal Council, Alderman Judd moved — " That, with tht consent of this council, all workmen employed by the same shall have their reduced to eight hours per diem (the stipend to remain as heretofore), commencing from September Ist, 1886." The motion was carried.