INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 250, 21 October 1919, Page 8

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE.

i PEACE TREATY PROPOSAL. IS XEW ZEALAND TO BK REPRESENTED? f One of the most interesting features c ( the Peace Treaty from the point of vie' of organised Labour is the proposal t , establish an International Labour OfTic( I and to hold an International Fj-abour Cor . ference once a year. The first such Cor ferenoe is to meet in Washington o I October 2!>. The Federation of Labour wired to th . Premier (Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) atth end of September asking what "the Gov ernmnnt proposed with respect to th Conference, but, receiving no reply to th I first wire, another was sent, to which Mr I Masse}' replied on October 4:— "Peace Treaty provides for the settin; ' up of a permanent organisation deal in; with Labour, consisting of ( 1 ) a genern conference of representatives of member of the League of Nations, meeting at leas 1 once a year, and (-21 an Internationa Labour Office hereafter to be establishe. •at the seat of the League. The firs 1 meeting of the annual conference is to b held at Washington 29th October, am 1 the United States Government has issuei invitations to each of the members of th League of Nations to send its delegate to attend. New Zealand, as a member o the League, is entitled to representatioi at the conference, but no arrangement have so far been made, and no wishe have been expressed to the Oovemmen by any of the Labour organisation throughout the Dominion." Tlie Federation sent a copy of thi wire to Mr. 11. K. Holland. M.P. (chair man of the Parliamentary l>abour party ) asking him to inquire further into th' matter. He asked a question in thi House on October 0, and the Premie replied that he would make sure wha the position was and let Mr. Hollani know. Mr. T. Hloodworth (president of th, Federation) stated to a "Star" reporte: to-day that Mr. Maesey had not eommu nicated further with tlie Federation. Mr Rloodworth said he could not uiiderstam the latter part of Mr. Massey's wire wherein he stated that no wishes havi been expre-ssed to the Government by u< of the Labour organisations throughou the Dominion. It must be remembered said Mr. Bloodworth, that Mr. Masse; was a. delegate to the Peace Conference* and he is also Minister of Labour. Tin Labour organisations could not very wel express wishes in the matter, as thei did not know what the position was. Hi thought the Minister of Labour shoulc have stated fully the position to tin organisations as early as he could afte his return, and those organisations wouli then have been able to consider the mat ter. As it was the Federation had in quired by telegram, and through Mr Holland in the House, and had got m very definite answer. They had been in formed through the Press that othe: countries had appointed delegates. Asked if organised Labour in New Zea land desired to send a delegate, Mr Bloodworth said he did not know, as n< views had been expressed on that mat ter by the Federation or any other Labou: body. No far as he was aware all tin Federation wanted was that Laboui should be given an opportunity to sai whether it would be represented or not The Premier's action seemed to indicati that he was not anxious for Labour to bi given that opportunity. t