EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 283, 26 November 1908, Page 3

EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION.

ANNUAL MEETING. A meeting of the members of the Employers' Federation was held yesterday afternoon, at which Mr. D. Goldie presided. Tliere were also present: Messrs. X. Hodgson, Miller, Rhodes. H. M. Smeeton, Commons, Wiseman, Fraaer, Bell, Sharman, Parker, and Eraser. Reports on the work of the recent conference of employers at Wellington were made by the president, vice-president., and Mr. Hodgson. Mr. Goldie referred to the substantial majority gained by the Hon. J. A. Millar at the recent election, which, he said, should remove the fear that anybody who opposed the Labour party was bound to go down. The results of the Labour candidatures iv Auckland also proved Labour was not the power some people thought it was in New Zealand. Mr. Miller (vice-president), referring to the recent conference, pointed out that they had the Labour party opposed to them, led by men who were working for their own gain and intiuence, more than for the lasting good of the people they were supposed to represent. They were working on the ignorance and credulity >I the working men. Up contrasted' the energy displayed by the Labour party in the Dominion with that displayed by the associations, and said the latter were not doing enough. They should do all in their power to prevent labour agitators from being secretaries of unions—that was, a man who was not a member of a trade being an official of the union of that trade. This clause was not, however, included in the Arbitration Act. Preference In unionists had a bearing on this point. Employers knew that the men were happier and worked more pleasantly before there were unions in New Zealand. Jf there were no preference to unionists there would be no payments to secretaries. If the employers associations could not get this provision deleted, it was their duty to fight every case that came before the Arbitration Court on file question. In Wellington alone there were twelve paid secretaries. While union officials were going about promising the men things they never intended to perform, how could the employers expect to have pleasant relations with their men. Mr. Trcgear had also shown over and over again his partiality for 1 the unions. He had been officially reprimanded, and they were told this would not occur again, but it had occurred again. Mr. Tregear, in any matters affecting Labour, unfortunately displayed his sympathy with the unions.

Colonel Holgato was appointed a member of the executive.