TRADES COUNCIL CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 95, 21 April 1906, Page 7

TRADES COUNCIL CONFERENCE.

CHINESE POLL TAX-

PROPOSED TNTGBEASB TO £.1000.

TiTMTIA!IION-'"'OF PEOEEESi

(By TeleerejilL—Press AsmxHttm.).

. CHRISTUiIUKCH, Friday. The Trades and Labour .Cbirfetsnce^e: , sjimed this afternoon. . .... ' . The conference next discussed, the..nun tion,"That the Government be, urged to amend the Electoral Act, making, it illegal for any candidate for Parliamentary honours to make donations within three months oi an election." An amendment, moved By Mr. Walseconded by Mr. Breen, "That the penalty should be-imposed in case of promises to give subscriptions, or persons asking candidates for subscriptions," was adopted,'and the amended motion was then carried.

Mr. T. G. Love ("Wanganui), moved, "That the Wqrkers' Compensation for Accidents Act be.amended.by the.addition of the following words.to clause 6: 'And the inspector of factories shall i claim from the employer the compensa*tion the injured person is entitled to, and hand over the same to the injured person. , "

Mr. J. H. Moore seconded^the.motion.

Mr. M. D. Hampton moved as an amendment, "That 'inspector, of facbe struck out, with a view of inserting 'an industrial union of workers may' in lieu thereof." ■

Mr. A. Collins seconded the amendment, which was lost on the. casting vote of the chairman.

. Mr. Wallace moved, "That, seeing the present poll-tax of £100 per. head on Chinese immigrants*is r .not; sufficient to prevent large quaatifeiegsViof-jcGhinainen from coming into the.- colony, .tied hand and foot- for years tovChinese employers who have-advanced-the amount of their poll-tax, this -conference is oi opinion that the tax should be increased to not less than £200 per head."

Mr. A> -Jtosser seconded- the motion, and said that in a.recent cargo of Chinese which arrived- at Auckland were iWPTe three Chinese women.

■ "Mn Collins moved as an amendment, "That the poll-tax be £ 1000 per head." Mr. Westbrook seconded the amendment, and thought it did not ga far enough. ■ -

-. After discussion, the amendment was put and carried. •■ •

Mr. Breen then moved, "That the Government be urged to prohibit the immijrration of Chinese and other Asiatics, and that this conference declares itself in favour of a white New Zealand."

Mr. J. T. Paul seconded the amendment.

Mr. J. Barr asked the chairman to rule if the amendment, was in order, as rf brought up the question of the immi gration of all Asiatics, and that of a white New Zealand. "

The chairman ruled the amendment in order.

Mr. Paul, continuing, agreed with Mr Uollins that to increase the poll-tax simply meant increasing the term of slavery which the Chinese had to undergo on arrival. It was better, therefore, way arid prohibit ihe.importation of Chinese altogether, i Mr. A.-'-Rosser thought there 'wW no chance of passing a resolution in favour of a White New Zealand."' It was unati tamable, and in many respecis undesirable. .

The amendment was lost by 12 votes to four.

At the suggestion of Mr. Hampton, the mover decided to add a proviso to hie motion, "That Chinese be submitted to ther tests as any other immigrant. , ' . Mr W. H. Hampton moved, "That the executive. he. instructed £ opet?. up correspondence -with the Aus= tralum.. councils, with a view to at" ranging for inter-«,l O nial trades andlaSeC ° nded the motion - -"eh;

J£ +l\ |. arr t the following £Z ] 16 Cant « bur y Council : -«As thl greed for surplus profits is a curse to ail mdustnes, this Council urge 3 the conference of delegates of the trades SESftE?-* - C - Work of colony l*ffig done for use instead of for profit He said' that if the conferencf t-ag Pre W f S> the Matter: he ' tO a m ° tiOn -

Govennnent to call triennially for re tons f rom 31l manufacturers and cmplovers of labour in the colony, and To encourage the combination of industries or on a co-operative basis." "' Mr E. Gohra seconded the motion. «TW^f^ en moved as ail amendment, mat-the question be remitted to the several councils for their consideration .m*h instructions to. report their decision ■to the executive in time to, go onthe ment A " H,Coo P er s««°nd«sa. the amende

After some discussion.- the Conference adopted the following resolution, "That this conference, recognising that the greed for the surplus profits is: the curse of all industry, affirms, the principle of displacing a profit system in favour of a system in which production is for use and that the incoming executive be instructed to draft a scheme on the lines mentioned for submission to the next conference." t '.'.' ~..,, a ' r _ ~,. Mr R. Breen morad, ?$& theoconference take into consideration., the question of united action, in,.c#nnection with the selection.of the workers' representative A pii the Arbitration, Court." In support, of the motion. Mr Breen expressed the opinion that it was desirable £or the workers to have the best representative, they could possibly get upon the Arbitration' Court. Mr A. Collins seconded the motion, which, was carried. Mr K. Breen moved to refer the matter to the incoming executive. The idea he had in his mind was to ask the variouscouncils to submit, the names of suitable candidates, which in turn could be submitted" T to 'the 'Various industrial unions." ' " ' ■ "■ '■.'■' Mr ~W': H. Hampton seconded the motion, ■which was • carried, with a recommendation- that-.'the■ executive ' consult the various - ...-■-• Mr W. H.- Hampton moved, "That .the conference affirm "the;-principle of• Mill. McNab's AbsoJiifcß Majority Bill, and; urges vthe : -to give practical, -effect-'toit-by- legislatkm." —'.- ! Mr McLaren seconded the- -motion, which was carried, the Nelson-delegates <djssehfirig: r "• '"- ' —■■-• - ■. : r> >• Mr . A. -Eoisser- (Ancklantf) moved, •Thai JfteTiarifi beJrevised tbi» aeaaLon

-3d to. give greater enieouragement to all natural industries, and, inter alia, to "pToviae "thaT duty .shall ,be placed on—(a).. All imported pvanufactured parts used in. the- bitokbinding. industry; (b) all ~imported whether whole or in parts; (c) • ■all - fOTeign-builfc. vessels sold . in. -TSfew Zealand; (d) the same' duty lie- placed. 0n..-machinery in-all vessels built to orI der- outside the colony for- local ■ <jomi paniea as. now- exists on machinery vim-w [ported in parts." . ....... , r-Mr W. WaUace seconded the motion,j and after some discussion the ence adjourned till half-past eight tomorrow ..morning. . ",.