WATERSIDE WORKERS' CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13160, 6 July 1908, Page 7

WATERSIDE WORKERS' CONFERENCE.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELIORAM.)

WELLINGTON, July 4. Tlie Waterside Workers' Conference to-day passed resolutions urging tho Government to secure insurance of members of unions with the Government Insurance office, and instructing the Executive to compile a comparative statement of the clauses of awards of unions, so as to advise unions on some scheme for preventing conflict in the making of claims and defending of cases.

Tho conference discussed a proposal from Auckland, that a bonus should be offered to encourage tho increase of a white population in New Zealand, and a motion to that effect wis carried, after an interesting discussion. It was resolved to urge upon the Minister of Marine and Labour that all Harbour lioards shall supply adequato accommodation, with baths and lockers, for the members of all waterside workers unions.

The conference passed a vote of thanks to the Wellington and Lyttelton Boards for the efforts they were making towards providing bathing accommodation and lockers for waterside workers, and urging upon them the necessity of early completion of these works.

Ii was decided to urge upon the Government that provision be mado for the representation of all waterside workers' unions on Harbour Boards.

Enforcement of the Government regulation of the size of grain sacks wrus urged upon the Government by tho conference. Mr Canham (Auckland) r.aid Maoris had been sending to Auckland sacks with 4001b of maize. Mr Voyce (Lyttelton) complained that hig,«j containing 24-3lb were shipped, but a sack of 2001b should be the maximum weight. It was decided to thank and congratulate the Government for bringing 'in regulations to reduce the size of grain sacks.