EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11749, 25 November 1903, Page 9

EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION.

ORGANISING SECRETARY TO BE APPOINTED. In movirt- a vote of thanks to Mr H. Field for _fl address to tho Employers' AMK>c_Btiou last night, Mr G .T. Booth, president of the fc_vpioyer.V Federation, j referred to the resolution arrived at by ; th* Conference recently held hi Welling- ! ton that an organisuig secretory slwuld • be appointed, provided tho rjcecssary i flaanci-i arrangeaicuM could be niaek— : a guaranteo of per annum from the j associations in addition to the amount they j already pay in connection with the Vigi- i lane» 'Committee. H» add that the Can- I U'lbary Association Imd guaranteed £lsb | of this amount, and that the Auckland end j Uugo Aseociat&m* were prepared to find '• their quota. Consequently, ho thought j lie could announce that, the appoiirtmeifc of on orgaxtising secwuiry would b* tuude al- j inoit immediately. (Applause) In at-- i corehinco with tlie itu-tt-ctinn he received from tlie Conference he would oiler the po*i- ; to Mr Field. (Applause.) He had | not done *o iiirmally yet, and could nut tell what Mr Field's answer would be, but 1m ninctrely hoped lie would see his way ; to accept it. He ellel not think they ; wanted any further evidence tlwn the uel- ■ givvii by Mr Fwld that evening of , his fitness for the position. Mr J. H. Hopkins said that the appointment of an organising secretary was a matter he bud tidvomted for many years, and he was ve.ry pleased to hear the announce, ineift irwwlc by Mr Booth. 'Hie furmer*,' he pointed out. had moved faster in this direction than the employer'?. ; The Chairman, in conveying the vote of ! thanks to Mr Field, said thut he would ' greatly a3sixt. the employers if he could I get the farmerM to join fortes with them, j und recognise thnt the labour laws of the i colony affect them as well us employers, i Mr Field, in acknowledging the compli- j ment, said that lis secretary of the Employers' Federation, he had received from the President of *tl:e Farmers' Union a letter stating thnt the Executive of the Union, whilst they felt that they must retain their integrity and work along separate lines, were willing to co-operate with employer* in matters that mutually affected farmers and employer*. A committee of four, including the President of the Farmer*' Union, had been set up to confer with the Employers' Federation when oc cosion arose- for practical co-operation. garding Mr Booth's remarks as to the appointment of himself as organising secretary, lie said that with regard to matter* of "publio interest ho had allowed other people to mark out his sphere of duty. To accept the position would interfere with hi* plans and schemes, and it certainly seemed to be a different sphere from that for which he was fitted. But if his services were wanted, and if he wo* able to serve in any direction, and as it seemed to be the general wish, he would say ye*. (Applause.)