AUCKLAND EAST LIBERAL AND LABOUR FEDERATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 156, 2 July 1907, Page 5

AUCKLAND EAST LIBERAL AND LABOUR FEDERATION.

The monthly meeting of the Auckland East branch of the liberal and Labour Federation fvas held last night, the President, Mr G. L. Peacocke, in the chair;' There was a good attendance of members, and npon the resolutions proposed an. interesting discussion took place.

A letter was read from the Town Clerk informing the branch that the matter of paying the City Council's casual employees the same rate of wages as that which contractors were compelled to pay had been referred to the proper official to inquire and report. The letter was received, the chairman remarking that he understood the wages of these men had since been raised to 8/ per day, which was a satisfactory result of the action of the branch.

The chairman then moved the following resolution: —"That this branch heartily congratulates the Hon. the Premier on his safe return to New Zealand after his useful and strenuous labours at the Imperial Conference, where he has so well served the interests of this country and of the Empire." Mr Peacocke said it must be a source of gratification to all New Zealanders that their Premier, a native New Zealander himself, should have so worthily represented his colony, and taken his place amongst the leading statesmen of the Empire with so much credit to himself, and so much advantage to colonial and Imperial interests. Mr Foley seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously.

A resolution expressing regret at the continued impaired state of health of the Hon. ilr Hall-Jones, and earnest hopes that a period of rest would restore him to his wonted health, was also moved by the chairman, and carried unanimously. The Hon. J. A. Tole and Mr F. E. Baume, M.H.R., were congratulated on their appointment as King's Counsel, and it was resolved to send a message of condolence to Mr P. J. Nerheny, President of the Auckland Central Branch of the Federation, on the death of his daughter. The chairman stated that it had been intended to have a discussion upon the subject of the Land Bill of last session, but it appeared to him that, in view of the announcements made as to important alterations in the form of the bill to be brought down this session, it would be better to postpone the discussion of the question until the new bill was before the House. In the meantime, however, to give an opportunity for the expression of opinion, he would move: "That this branch expresses approval of ~the alteration in the Land Bill, by ■which. the means to be adopted for the limitation of landed estates will be a graduated land tax on all land over a certain unimproved land value. This branch is also in entire accord with the principle of setting aside certain suitable State lands as endowments for education, charitable aid, and old age pensions, but nojji necessarily only such lands as are unsettled at the present time." After an interesting- discussion, it was agreed to adjourn the consideration of the motion to a future meeting.

The following resolution was also proposed and carried unanimously—'•That this branch hails with satisfaction the announcement that it is the intention of the Government to propose a remission of Customs duties on the necessaries of life, which will lighten the burden of taxation upon the workers of the colony by a large amount, without affecting legitimate public works. expenditure." The interesting question of the export of ungraded kauri gum from New Zealand was also considered. It was stated that the gum-sorters' and gum-diggers' unions had tad this matter before them for some years. The trouble was that ungraded gum was exported to America and other countries where the work of scraping and sorting was done by cheap labour,- thus depriving local workers of ■work which could and should be done here. If an export duty was placed on aD gum exported in an ungraded condition of a value higher than, say, £40 per ton, it would mean work in Auckland for at least 50 more gum-sorters. At first the gum-diggers' union opposed such a proposal, but at a conference held in Waipu some time ago a motion was carried in favour of the proposed export duty. An interesting discussion ensued, in which several speakers pointed out that under such a law there would be a tendency amongst gum-exporters to class a-U grades of gum as worth less than £40 per ton in order to escape the export duty. The Chairman said it was quite clear that the proposed legislation ewild not be properly carried out without official inspection. They must be careful not to recommend anything that might injure the interests of those who depended upon the gum-digging industry for a living. Finally a,resolution moved by Mr. Doneely, "That the Government be asked to seriously consider the advisability of putting an export duty on -all ungraded gum of a value higher than £40 per ton," was put to the meeting. An amendment was moved that the question be adjourned until a future meeting, when further information on the subject could be brought forward. This was carried, and the proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chair.