DEMAND FOR OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12904, 9 September 1907, Page 7

DEMAND FOR OLD AGE PENSIONS.

ARBITRATION AN© CONCILIATION.

TTnited Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, September 7. The Trades Union Congress at Bath unanimously passed a resolution declaring that Mr Asquith should provide for in January, 1909, the commencement of payment of old age pensions of 5s weekly to all people over 60 years of ago and upwards.

Mr Barnes. Labour M.P., described tho demand as one for a universal civil right, not for & sorting or sifting scheme. Lord Avebury's scheme was paltry.

Mr Walsh, a Liverpool delegate, sail they must not depend on Mr Asquith's or on the gingerbread crumbs of Mr John Burns, but they must agitate tinder force for old age pensions ir ; 1908.

A motion for compulsory arbitration in all labour disputes was negatived by 1,000,000 votes to 343,000.

Mr A. Harvey, M.P., declared that compulsion meant slavery. Compulsory arbitration had proved a failure in Australasia. Strikes wore sometimes necessary, and workers could not dispense with their most effective weapon.

By 740,000 votes to 650,000 a proposal for compulsory conciliation, under which a caso would be submitted to a board before a strike or a lockout was declared, was rejocted.

Secular education was approved of by 1,239,000 votes to 126,000.

A system of Wages Boards as a ireans of destroying sweating was unanimously endorsed.