BIG LABOUR CONGRESsT

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 157, 3 July 1917, Page 6

BIG LABOUR CONGRESsT

CONFLICTING ELEAIENTS. v-g,:.-. ;• (Dy Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") * | WELLINGTON, thi s day. A general conference of trade unions called under the auspices of the Fedqra- I tion of Labour opens here to-day, Tues- V day. There is likely to be an interesting .. tussle for supremacy between the Red Fed. element and those favouring less militant methods of securing the advancement of workers' interests. The latter section at past conferences has been overwhelmed by the militants, but judging from the decision of the f .mated Society of Railway Servants to°be v again represented in close association. f; with labour bodies of transport workera Pi the extremists will meet solid opposi- ! 'tion. j The " Railway Review," discussing the jrailwaynicn's decision to be represented, at the conference, says: "Many will remember former conferences, from which the society's representatives withdrew absolutely out of sympathy with some of the extreme proposals brought forward.' There is a growing feeling to-day amon» trade unionists that the influences be3iind the Federation of Labour so far fail to reflect true sane labour ideals especially in regard to the war and New Zealand's effort in connection with the struggle, that the coming conference will not fairly reflect the true view of the (masses of workers. Probably a situation will arise somewhat parallel to the • > former gathering, from which the rail-way-men withdrew, but in this instance we sincerely hope our representatives will see it through. Their value in keeping to the front sound arguments which exist in favour of strict constitutional method* will be well worth an effort." The Transport Workers' Advisory Loard. comprising- delegates from the A.S.R.S.. Tramway-men's Federation, Waterside Workers' Federation, New Zealand Drivers' Unions, and Seamen's Federation, met here ton3ay, under the presidency of Mr. Hampton (president of the A.S.R.S.), to consider the constitution of the Board, which is purely of an advisory nature. The seamen, who at first refused to come into the scheme, were represented.