TRADE MATTERS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 487, 9 July 1890, Page 5

TRADE MATTERS.

GAS STRIKE AT LEEDS. FACTORIES AT A STANDSTILL. London, July 3. Leeds is entirely without gas, and in consequence the factories are at a standstill, and thousands are idle. Disturbance is now confined to wordy abuse, and no violence is used. The blacklegs are going over to the side of the strikors, and a settlement of the quarrel is probable. Latex:. Leeds is quiet, but the troops remain on duty. The strikers will bo granted higher wages. The Leeds strike is practically settled. THREATENED STRIKE. London, July 3. The Clyde shipbuilders have intimated their intention to reduce wages in August, and a strike is threatened. LONDON TELEGRAPH OPERATORS AND THE QUEEN. London, July 3. An attempt by the authorities to compel the telegraph clerks to express regret for groaning at the name of the Queen tailed. They were willing to declare that no disrespect was intended to Her Majesty person ally, but the ebullition of feeling was simply a protest against the way they were treated. WOOL-SCOURING MACHINE. London, July 3. Burnett’s wool scouring machine has been sold to a Leeds and Bradford syndicate for £4,0C0. TIIE LABOUR WORLD.” London, July 3. Mr Davitt is about to start “ The Labour World,” an organ to advance the cause of the labour party. He intends to publish Richard Pigott’s diary in it. LABOUR UNIONS. Sydney, July 4. There are now 53 societies, representing 35,000 workmen, affiliated to the Sydney Trades and Labour Councils. KNIGHTS OF LABOUR AT PALMERSTON NORTH. Palmerston North, July 5. One of the most enthusiastic meetings held in this district took place last evening, when Mr James Mackay, the local organiser of theKnightsof Labour, delivered an address on the objects of that body, ar.d opened the local assembly. The meeting was also addressed by Mr L’eetham, of Auckland. Sixty-one members were initiated, and arrangements made for holding weekly meetings. TIMBER FOR RAILWAYS. Mr Carow, R.M. of Dunedin, has, says a telegram, decided that timber imported for use on railways is nob liable to the harbour improvement rate. RAILWAY SERVANTS. NON-SOCIETY WORKMEN. Avckland, July 5. A Press Association telegram to-day says: The Executive of the Railway Servants’ Society have decided that immediate steps be taken to introduce a rule that no member of the Society shall work with a non-Socioty man. SOUTH PACIFIC PETROLEUM COMPANY. A meeting of tho South Pacific Petroleum Company is to be held in Sydney to consider whether the work shall be continued or the Company go into liquidation. THE GREYMOUTH COLLIERS Auckland, July 5. Tho Brunnorton miners held a meeting last evening. The result was that a deputation waited upon Mr Kennedy, and asked him to withdraw the notification as regards the closing of the mines. Mr Kennedy objects to do so, bub proposes that an accountant be appointed to examine the books of the Company, with tho power to see whether any reduction can be made, and when it will come into force. * MASTER TAILORS’ SOCIETY. Auckland, July 5. At a meeting of master tailors, called by circular, and held at Robson’s Rooms last night, it was decided to form a RetaU Master Tailors’ Association for the protection of trade interests. Some twenty tailors were present, and apologies were received from others. A committee was nominated to draft rules and collect information to submit bo another meeting to be called by advertisement. WORKING MEN’S COLLEGES. While there has been so much talk about lack of funds to provide for school buildings, wires our Parliamentary correspondent, it is rather remarkable to find 1 a sum of £I,OOO provided for the foundation of working men’s colleges and technical colleges for Dunedin. Mr Goldie lias, with the view of opening up the whole question, decided to ask the Minister of Education whether ho will place the sum of £3,000 upon the supplementary estimates to bo divided equally as grants in aid towards tho foundations of working men’s colleges and technical institutions for tho cities of Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. MINING AT WHANG APOUA. A return was lately ordered by the House of Representatives, on tho motion of Colonel Fraser, for all correspond ence relating to agreements with the natives as to mining on the Whangapoua block, the object being to ascertain whether the right to mine Mas in any way secured to the Crown, seeing that tho Kauri Timber Company now owns the property. It seems, hou'over, that there is nothing more than the original provisional agreement between Commissioner Mackay and tho natives granting to Europeans the right to prospect, and the more so that the matter is entirely in the Company’s hands. TENDERS ACCEPTED. Auckland, July 5. The following tenders wero accepted by the Board of Education yesterday afternoon :—Erection of school building, Marsh. Meadows, W. G. Smith, £183; repairs to teachers’ dwellings at Coromandel, C. Lavers, £6B; at Driving Creek, G. B. James, £76 10s; at Wairoa South, Davies and Evans, £194.

CARPENTERS AND JOINERS.

Auckland, July 5. A meeting of those interested in forming a local Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Union was held last night in Robson’s Rooms. About forty were present. Mr Tudehope presided and read tho advertisement convening tho meeting. He explained that tho object was to form a Union of those in the trade who did nob wish to join either tho Amalgamated Society or tho trade section. There appeared to be some backwardness in joining those societies, and it was.absolutely necessary that they should know what each other was doing. Those who did not care to join either of the other two societies should form a local Union. Mr W. B. Smith, Acting Secretary, said that the Society called the meeting for tho benefit cf tho trade, and not of the Society. At present all sorts of wages were paid, and their object was to make all masters pay eight shillings a day. To get this the men must combine. Organisation was getting so strong in other trades, that if they did not combine they would be looked upon as spiritless, in fact they were so already. One thing that they wanted to piy attention to, was that they should send men to Parliament who would care for the good of the many, and not of the few —in fact, to look after the interests of tho working man. A union would help to keep the wages at a regular rate. At present they had a m'serable system of piecework that was worse than sweating. Ho heard that in some places outside the men suffered from the truck system. All these matters might perhaps be regulated by a union. In tho Amalgamated Society they had benefits, but they need not go into time at present. All they wanted was to put down sixpence each and forma union. In America now they did not need to work more than eight hoars a day to produce what they wanted, and lie hoped that in tho future they would not need to work even as much as eight hours a clay. He suggested that a committee should be appointed to enroll members for a union. They know that at present it urns no use going for big wages, considering the state of the building trade, still they might get a uniform rate of wages. Mr William Casely moved, “That this meeting form a committees of seven, with power to add to their number, to make rules for a Union of Carpenters and Joiners, with a view to gaining 8s per day, uniform rate of wages.” Mr T. Knox seconded tho motion, which was carried unanimously, and a committee was appointed to enroll members. All present who were not members of other societies gave in their names to join the Union, and contributed towards preliminary expenses. The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer were appointed as a committee to arrange matters. Votes of thanks wero passed to the two representatives of tho Engineers’ Society and Tailoresses’ and l’ressers’ Society for their attendance at the former meeting, and also to the press for the kindly manner in which business eras reported. SUCCESSFUL PIG IRON MAKING AT THE ONEHUNGA'IRON WORKS. Auckland, July 5. For some time past expectation has run high as to the result of the now branch of industry known as the manufacture of pig iron, -which the manager, Mr Enoch Hughes, was pushing forward with a perseverance deserving of success. Our correspondent was yesterday shown over the works, and, by the courtesy of the manager, made acquainted with the fullest particulars relating to the same. There is in the yard a quantity of iron rand and iron ore, a portion of the stone being taken from Huntley and Kamo. Upon nearing the scene of operations, tho visitor is struck with the simplicity of the works, and yet the gigantic undertaking for so young a colony (everything denoting economy and stability) is one of the main features of the works. From the engine-room to the blastfurnace everything lias a look of solidity about it, which, of course, the nature of tho worn demands. We were shown tho differenbstones and ores, some pieces being very heavily charged with mofcal, others being considerably lighter owing to the presence of sand. The furnace was lighted June 30th and in three days the iron -was run off, the result being most satisfactory, 8 tons. Tho moulders were kept pretty busy yesterday preparing for another tapping, which is expected to be equally successful. Upon asking Mr Hughes upon the future prospects of the undertaking, he remarked that this was nob tho first iron works he had been connected with, that others were successfully carried on at the present day, and he know of no obstaelo to prevent this one from being a thorough success. Upon making further inquiries, wo were allowed to inspect a number of documents showing the number of works and the dates when the first bar or pig was successfully manufactured under Mr Hughes’s management. Dudley - streeb Iron Work 3, Melbourne : The first bar produced in Australia, Juno 19th, 1860. Fitzroy Works, Sydney : The first bar made November Bth, 1863. Pyrmont Works, Sydney : The first bar made May 21st, 1864. Esk Bank, Sydney : The first pig produced November 28th, 1875 ; the first bar made February 20th, 1877. Onehunga works, New Zealand : The first bar made November 10th, 1837; blast furnace lighted June 30ih ; tho first pig produced July 3rd, 1890. The whole province of Auckland will be benefited by the success of these works, and it must be gratifying to tho Company to see such a successful result. Tho outside world can form no opinion as to the extent and magnitude of theso works, there being in stock, now manufactured and ready for sale, 1,000 tons of bar and sheet iron from threeeight rounds to eight-inch flats, besides squares, angles, tees and rails ; corrugated iron - black or galvanised—is also made in large quantities. It is to be hoped that a tide of prosperity may now reward the labour of the Onehunga Iron Works Company, and that the sanguine expectations of the manager may be realised, when he said : “ We shall do well with our ironstone, bub when we commence with the ironswttd it will be a greater success still.” ANOTHER AUCKLAND INVENTION. KELLY’S PATENT TREBLE WORM GEAR PRESS. Auckland, July 5. Messrs James and Co., of Queen-street, exhibit a working model of a press invented and patented by Mr James Kelly, of Freeman’s Bay Foundry. In the present depressed sbato of trade in Auckland any new invention which is likely to hasten a rovival is bo bo hailed with satisfaction. The press shown is applicable to the pressing of wool, hay, straw, flax, tow, etc., and also for cheese, apples for cider, copra, and nuts, to extract their oils, and various other articles requiring compression. It is powerful as well as simple. Two unskilled labourers, or a man and a boy only, are.required in working it. As at present con

structed it is capable of exerting a pressure of 601 b per square inch over a surface of six superficial feet. Bub it can be made very much more powerful. One claim of the inventor is that it can be made quito as powerful as any hydraulic press at a tenth of the cost and weight. It is quick in working, tho time required to reduce wool, tow, etc., from a height of 12 feet to 4 feet being only about two minutes. This is a new and simple application of an ancient and well-known mechanism —the worm and wheel. The same motor has of late been applied to the steering of the largest steamers afloat, the training of the largest guns, the raising of great weights, and in many other ways where great force is roquired to be used by few hands.

“SELF-LOVE AND SELF-SACRIFICE.”

Auckland, July 5. Last evening Mr F. G. Ewington gave a lecture on tho above subject at tho Young Men’s Christian Association to an attentive and appreciative audience. Sir William Fox took the chair, Mr R. B. Shalders opened tho proceedings with prayer, and Mr Bertie Hood, Mrs Sharpies, and Miss Pilcher sa.ig songs with violin accompaniment. On rising to spoak Mr Ewington said the subject of the lecture Mas specially interesting on that day, because it was the 4th of July, a day when from every fort and M’arship under the Stars and Stripes, volley's, at sunriso, noon and sunset, commemorated the Declaration of American Independence, a calamity u’hich was induced by the selfishness of Old England—a selfishness which infamously showed itself in hiring German mercenaries and Indians with scalping knives to butcher her own children. The lecturer illustrated his idea of the two opposite principles of self-love and selfsacrifice by reciting the death of the young Prince Imperial in Africa through tho cowardice of his escort, and the self-abne-gation of an old salt who gave to a little stowaway boy bis own and the only life

buoy in his sinking ship, and thus saved the lad’s life at the ccsb of his own. Mr Ewington then traced the two principles throughout the Scriptures, inst Dicing Eve, Adam, and Joseph’s brethren as those who verified Isaiah’s dictum that we have turned “everyone to his own may." Self sacrifice ho saw in the lives of Abraham, David, St. Paul, Stephen, and, above all, in Christ, who, though rich, for our sakes became poor, that M r e through His poverty might be made rich. Pa-sing rapidly to modern instances of those who showed the spirit of the Great Examplar, t lie lecturer a hided to Henry Talbot, late third mate of the ship Persian Empire, who lost his life in our harbour while trying to save three persons from a watery grave; to the brave men at Bourke, Sister Dora, Father Louder, and Charley Spurgeon, an old bsth soldier who had acted nobly. Then lie amusingly showed that the spirit of solfishness manifested itself in the tyranny of the baby which terrorised papas and mammas in every household ; that it wont on developing until it developed into the want' of consideration for others as shown by some smokers, to tho sending of rotten ships to sea such as Mr Ulimsoli denounced, and to the sweating system which wrung tears, if not blood, from the broken-hearted toilers in our factories, offices, and workshops. Considering tho starvation u’ages which poor women got for making shirts and drill trousers, he considered that, in tho words of Tom Hood, they were

“ SeM'ing at once with a double thread, A shroud as well as a shirt.” And the spirit of selfishness led masters to oppress workers until they were goaded into unions and combinations to wring by force from their employers what they could not get by fair means on its merits. Witness the driving of cottagers in Scotland from “ home sweet home,” that tho OM'ner of the sod might have an immense ceer park to hire out to American millionaires; witness absenteeism in Ireland with its untold horrors. Masters having sown “ the wind are reaping the whirlwind.” But selfishness also led to oppression of masters by the men, and the spirit of antagonism which had boon aroused even in New Zealand would, if persisted in, induce as much misery as a foreign invasion. For instance, it had been reported that tho men at one of the coal mines in Waikato had dictated a code of rules which the owners had to accept or suffer tho consequence, and when it was found that some of the men had to be discharged through slack business, the men compelled the employer to proceed by ballot to dismiss his men, thereby depriving him of the right to dischargo the least efficient hands. He insisted that the Sweating Commissioners’ recommendation about Boards of Arbitration should be created by statute. Our laws prevent and punish breaches of the peace between citizens in the streets, but it i 3 immensely more im porlant that large bodies of men, whether masters or labourers, should not be allowed to disorganise trade and punish thousands of innocent people for a handful of guilty ones. But only a spirit of justice and brotherhood will prove a real remedy. The lecturer alluded to several instances in the report of the Sweating Commission to show how masters, by the employment of an unduo proportion of boys and girls, prevented men from earning bread for their families, and drove men from the colony as soon as they had served their time of apprenticeship. He thought that was the more deplorable became many of the callings of the girls did not in any w r ay fit them for the sacred and important duty of motherhood, on which the real welfare of the colony depended so much. Mr Ewington thought that however much tho masters were to blame for sweating and for employing girls so numerously, tho general public M'ere more to blame. It was no good mincing matters, the truth must out, people want a pound’s worth of goods for ten shillings, and they do not caro bow they get it so long as they do got it. They try to buy below the true value, even though they know a tradesman is losing to his ruin. They will run after the cheapest shops even though they know that the clothes they buy are stained with the tears of ill-fed, underpaid toilers. If people wi 1 rob their fellows like that (and he thought it was as much robbery to pay less than bona Rde value for goods), what could they expect ? If people will not pay fair prices, masters cannot pay fair wages, and until tho people are better the workmen will suffer. Bub judgment has come. Force will wring from us what justice and kindness may now graciously concede ere it bo too late. Those who are wise will no longer expect a pound’s worth of anything for half price, but will live and let live, and do to others as they would be done by. The lecturer then proceeded to illustrate bis lecture from political history, natural history, and local incidents, urging in conclusion that as wo are in a world of suffering and sorrow, where one is dependent on another, those M’ere the best friends of humanity who in a kind and considerate way helped others to bear their burdens, and so fulfilled the law of Christ. In concluding with a quotation from tho battle song of the free, the lecturer M’as warmly applauded and heartily thanked for his lecture.