Letters to Editor September 14, 1895.

*THE WORKER*

BRISBANE, SEPTEMBER 14, 1895.

Mail Bag.

WANTED – (to prepare the way for Socialism in our time)

One Adult One Vote.

Land Tax.

Income Tax.

State Bank.

Shops and Factories Act.

Eight hours day where practicable.

Referendum and Initiative.

Taxation of every person according to ability to pay.

The State to find work for unemployed.

The State to fix a minimum wage.

Free Railways. Free administration of Justice.

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The WORKER does not hold itself responsible for the opinions of its correspondents.

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RIGHT BOWER. - Already referred to.

ALEX R. - Thanks for cartoon suggestion.

ONEWHONCWL. - Not worth advertising him.

LABOUR Capella. - Have returned manuscript.

CHIPS urges the wage earners to get their names on the roll at once. Revision court sits on 1^st of next month.

WARWICK writes that a local blue blood owning scores of thousands of acres of land applied to his Government a short time ago to have more thrown open for selection. No limit to voracity.

CHOPPER – Will try to advise you. The Government should advertise in the WORKER the letting of such jobs, either that or issue to the people a proper Government newspaper at a low figure.

CHIPS says - “ the Government want settlers of the right type from Victoria; strange hear nothing of the right type of squatter. The land repurchased by the Government will only settle 270 men with 100 acres each.”

D. A., Gowrie. - Cannot understand the question. There is nothing in the Friendly Societies Act as to the amount of money that must be paid into an accident fund for members before it becomes subject to the Act. A society which carries on any business having for its object the acquisition of any benefit funds or the provision of any benefit must be registered.

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ED. WORKER, - From the reports appearing in the papers it might be thought Bower Bird is a good field for rich reefs; but I am sorry to say those reports were fabricated by the Burketown push, who caused a rush of some rich new finds the day before the mail left. The news then went to Burketown and was wired from there all over the colony, and even to West Australia. There was only two claims getting payable gold – namely, the Prospectors, and No. 6 North. - C. REESE.

ED. WORKER, - Northern Argus states there are 400 miners here. At one time there were one hundred, but now time there were one hundred, but now there are about 50. Opal mining is very patchy. Seven thousand pounds worth have been sold from here, but the greater part came from two claims, Messers M’Lennan and Sons and Conway and party having obtained over £4000. The late finds were in their claims, but they are now pretty well worked out, but no finds have taken place away from there lately. A few men are still prospecting. Grass and water plentiful. - F. C. CROSSEY, Opal Miner, Fermoy.

ED. WORKER, - I desire to call attention to the way the sleepers are let for maintenance purposes for the Queensland railways. About twelve months ago a man got a contract for 30,000 for the Wide Bay and Burnett district at the rate of £7 19s. delivered. A lot of men came up from Brisbane on free passes, and after finishing the job went back on free passes. Previous to that they let a lot of 10,000 to a Brisbane sweater privately. He got men to cut them for a shilling apiece, and in the presents of a lot of his men he said he had cleared £200 out of the job, which only lasted six weeks. Now it is impossible to cut sleepers up to specification for a shilling each. The consequence is the men either get into debt or slope the storekeeper or cut inferior sleepers, the latter mostly. I have seen stuff passed that was scarcely fit for posts, and if they are put in a line they will want renewing in a few years. So much for cheap sleepers. At the present time tenders are called for a large quantity. Why not let them in small lots to bona fide cutters and see that they cut them up to the mark. Then if they like to cut them cheap they can do so and will not sweat any one else. There are a lot of selectors in this district who would be glad of such jobs, and instead of letting a year’s supply all at once, why not divide them and let a quantity every three months, then there would be a lot of steady work, whereas now it is either a feast or a famine. - CHOPPER, Childers.

ED. WORKER, - As A matter of fair play will you kindly grant me space to direct attention to what I consider an act of injustice to William M M’Bride. The facts of the case are briefly these; In the year 1886 P.C. Smith contracted with then Commissioner for Railways for the construction of a section of the Cairns – Herberton railway. He commenced the work, and, after completing some portion of it, with the consent of the Commissioner, on the 20^th November, 1886, he assigned the contract to William M’Bride and all moneys payable or to become payable thereunder. M’Bride continued the construction of the railway till the month of July, 1887. He was then possessed of valuable plant and material need for carrying out the work. At that time he, being in insolvent and circumstances, requested the Commissioner to exercise a power given under the 25^th clause of the contract to take over the property. This was done and the unfinished part of the railway completed. The Commissioner for Railways furnished M’Bride’s trustee with a statement of account up to a time shortly prior to 17^th September, 1888, in respect to the completion by the Railway Department of the work. That statement was simply a rough balance-sheet. It was by no means a detailed or full account of the liabilities of the Commissioner, but simply showed a debit balance against M’Bride, who, notwithstanding, claims that a balance is due to him by the Railway Department. If this be not the case, why are the Commissions afraid to submit a detailed account? He has tried over and over again to get it but without success. The Railway Commissioners dispute his claim, yet they will not submit a full statement of expenditure. M’Bride wants nothing more than this. He will be quite satisfied with the result of the investigation – the cost of which he is willing to pay. - FIAT JUBITTIA.