LABOUR, ETC.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2571, 21 October 1893, Page 1

LABOUR, ETC.

London, Oct. 18. A mob of miners, numbering some thousands, attacked the free labourers who were at work preventing the flooding of the colliery at St. Helen’s in Lancashire. Several of the latter were injured and attempts were made to throw others into the-colliery reservoir. The manager of the mine was cudgelled, and the police who came to the rescue were severally assaulted with stones and brickbats. Many constables were wounded, and eventually they were compelled to beat a retreat. Oct. 19. Serious rioting has been renewed at St. H elen’s. The police used their batons on the mob freely, and scores were injured. A sharp collision between the police and the • strikers also occurred at Haydock, in Lancashire, Several were injured on both sides, Sydney, Oct. 19. The engineers have adjusted their difficulties with the owners, but the particulars of the settlement will hot be divulged till a conference of representatives can be held to lay the terms before their different bodies. Twenty-five labour members In the House have formed a new party under the leadership of Mr Joseph Cook, member for Hartley. The principal plapk of their programme ig to be the single tftjf,.

Christchurch, Oct. 19. By arrangement, some GO or 70 unemployed met the Hon. Mr Reeves yesterday. The Minister said he was ready to confer with all men who wanted \vork- and ready to take it if offered. He asked anyone else to leave the room. Powell and two others then loft. The Minister said that ho was sorry that so many were out of work, but he was glad to see so many of the unemployed present because influences had been at work to prevent the men coming to see him. He referred to the attacks m ide upon him by the Mayor, the reliability of whose statements he denied. He would like to point out that the expenditure for public works by the present Government last year exceeded that of 1891. This year there would be a further increase though less loan money was available. The suggestion that he and his colleagues did n -t sympathise with men out of work, — that they cared nothing and did nothing for them —was false and unjust. No Government ever schemed and laboured so much to help the unemployed. He referred to what had been done, and said that the Government paid the unemployed a fair day’s wage for a fair day’s work, which other Governments had not done. He could not and would not start large useless works near town, as had been clamoured for. If he did the v'hole Labour Bureau would bo swept away by public opinion. He asked them to take his word that as he had done hja best in the past ho would go on doing so in the future The Minister in the course cf his address was frequently applauded. A number q£ unemployed confer; ed

with Mr Sandford and Mr Tanner M.H.R.’s, and preliminary steps were taken towards forming a Special Settlement Association.