THE LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 78, 2 April 1894, Page 2

THE LABOUR CONFERENCE.

The Trades and Labour Conference finished its labours on Saturday. The full value ot its deliberations will be seen hereafter, but in the meantime it may be said without fear of contradiction that the delegates have dona some good work in the cause of labour by the resolutions they passed, and by the discussions they had, which, even when they did not terminate in any definite decision, threw a great deal of light, on the subjects under consideration. The sensible moderate tone in which the meetings were conducted has also had a valuable effect on those who from their position have been regarded—though very ofton erroneously —as antagonistic to the interests of the labourer. For the delegates have shown themselves to be shrewd, commonsense men who were quite capable of looking at more than one aide of a quostion, and not likely to be led by a biind selfishness into any line of conduct that would be suicidal. Their careful examination of the Government's Labour Bills is a work for which they deserve the tbankg of the community, for their deliberations on these measures will familiarise the working men and theemployers of labour in the colony with their provisions before they come before Parliament again. As a contemporary has remarked, the opinion of the delegates on these Bills is the opinion of experts, and likely to hare weight with the promoters of the measures.

The drafb scheme of trades federation, which ib is proposed to issue to the Trades Unions and Councils throughout the colony, and the recommendations made by the Conference on the scheme, are sure to be discussed with greab interest. An excellent and judicious -resolution was that in which the Conference declared its opinion thot the Councils must try all conciliatory

means to settle disputes without resorting to extreme measures, provided always that the principle of Unionism is maintained. Ib is clearly to the interests of all the labouring classes thab they should be_ governed by such a spirit in all their dealings with capital. Crude and inconsiderate action such as has been sometimes manifested by employees in strikes when they believed they held the whip hand in the dispute has never been productive of any good. Even where the workers have succeeded in what they Btrove for they have been the losers both directly and indirectly, for nob only have they personally suffered, bub the trade in which they were engaged has suffered also. Conciliation and not war is infinitely the best policy. We hope that the Labour Unions in the various towna will be stimulated to greater activity by the publicity that has been given to the tranpactions of She delegates, and thab their recommendations will receive careful consideration; The Conference advises a number of excellenb schemes. First, there is the recommendation thab Labour Councils should be lor mod in every town where two or more Unions exist. Then, again, the various Councils are asked to consider a life insurance scheme, an accidenb scheme, " some scheme whereby members may be assisted to procure homes for themnolves by financial help from the various Unions connected with the federation," and lastly some scheme for the ebabliahment of a cooperative business for the benefib of the members. By making these euggostions .•done the Conference have given the initial impetus to a series of schemes which, if taken heartily in hand by the labour bodies ilu'oughoutthecolonyand carried into ed'ect, will luivo an incalculably beneficial effect on the position of the labouring classes in New Zealand. Tho spirit which breathes in these suggestions is a manly, self-reliant one. It siiows very clearly what the tempor of the beat of our New Zealand workmen is. Thoro is nothing of the mean craving for assistance in ib, nor of the envious muttorings against those who may be batter situated than tho uiutterera. Tho key-note of it is self-help.