INDUSTRIAL TROUBLES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 140, 12 July 1909, Page 2

INDUSTRIAL TROUBLES

STAFFORDSHIRE MINERS' STRIKE. By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyrigiit London, July 0, Owing to friction over the. Eight Hours Act, mobs of men and boys arfl marching through the North Staffordshire colliery towns, breaking down fences and walls. They have had frequent conflicts with the police. The trouble is due to the pit boys wanting lunch time, which is impossible without a general stoppage. There are no leu ihiin 15,000 strikers in the Sheffield district.

UTILISING OF UNION FUNM. Receivicd July 11, 6.6 p.m. London, July 10. Another trade unionist obtained an in', junction to prevent the South itaiei Miners' Federation from devoting funds towards the payment of members of tire House of Commons.

DIVISION IN THE RANKS OF LABOR.

By Telegraph— Press Association. Christchurch, Saturday Night. A serious division in the ranks of labor in Canterbury in threatened consequent upon the determination of several unions, amongst them the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, the Coaolmiakers' Union, and the Hotel, Club and Restaurant Employees' Union, to secede from the Canterbury Trades and Labor Council. The reason for this action on the part of the union* mentioned is that the council, instead of dealing at its meetings with surely .uvAwUt matters, practically devote* the whole of its time to the discussion of general politics. It is considered that the council was never intended to become a political machine, and its rules are cited in support of this contention. it is stated that. political feeling ha) become so strong that it has dominated nearly everything that the council kM done' lately. Others state that the council is merely a political and socialist organisation,

(Prominent members of the council, criticising these statements, point out that the trades and labor council! of the Dominion took an active part in the political campaign of 1800, when the Liberals were returned to power, and that the statement that the tntrodnotion of politics is a,new feature is dieproved by the history and records of the council. .Members of the council state that the opposition of a section of the. unions to tie council is due-to the fact that some of the delegates are uncompromising supporters of the Government, whilst,other delegate** wish (o see the council progress. Whenever the Government is.criticised by progressive delegates, the Government supporters, by subterfuge and by other means, attempt to discredit the efforts made to effect progress. It is pointed out, further, that the Bootmekeri,* Union, Hie oldest union .in Canterbury, recognises the necessity Tor the council discussing political questions. It is appnrent from a circular that lias been forwarded to all the unions In the Dominion thot the Canterbury Trades Council is attempting to form a New Zealand Labor party, and to further that end proposes to establish a rewspaper. Regarding the proposed ! newspaper, the circular says: .• "The trades unionists and progressive -people generally are of opinion that they «ra not getting fair treatment at the hand of the public Press a t the present Juneturc. Therefore we ask you to assist la the establishment of a true Labor paper. Our object is to establish the following—(1) Nationalisation of monopolies; (g) initiative of the referendum and the power of recall of all publio official!! (3) fair education from primary schools . to university. We are prepared to present to the people a fighting policy of organised trades unionism, as agreed to by conference. Our work is to Mtablish a Labor paper which Is pledjed to carry out the above, and thus better the lot of the people of New Zealand.

A REBUKE FROM JUDGE SIM.

Cliristchtirch, Saturday Night ■ The unions will have to «tve up thl» system of bringing these huge diipntM,'' remarked Mr. Justice Sim, ftwHto™ lt the Arbitration Court, this moraine. whito dealing with a recommendatlojioJ the Council of Conciliation in the maoral laborers' dispute. "It simply meant with those huge dispute* with all clauH of employers dragged ih."' Re/erring to the objections of various employer* to the recommendation, his Honor added that there were only three employer*' assessors on the Council, and haW dozen classes of employers could not «t representation in the dispute.