MASTER PLUMBERS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19854, 15 February 1930, Page 11

MASTER PLUMBERS.

CONFERENCE CLOSED. The annual conference of the New Zealand Federation of Master Plumbers was continued yesterday morning, wlion further remits were dealt with. • The remit: ''That consideration be riven to th 9 question of preferential liscounts and other matters to the supply of drain pipes and htiings," was first considered. Mr J. fc>. Douglas (Dunedin) pointed out that at iresent plumbers had to buy pipes rom tho manufacturers and sell them »n to their customers at the same irice. The only profit they got out of fc was the ten per cent, discount it he pipes were paid for within a cer;ain time. Anyone could go to the nanufacturers and buy pipes-at the iame price as the plumbers paid. Alter urther discussion it was resolved that ;he executive should notify local inions to bring before their membeis ,he question that drain laying should >e more closely allied to plumbing, ,hus strengthening the Federation in ;his section with the amalgamated pipe ■ompanies. The question of of apprenices when in military camps was dis:ussed, the suggestion being that, eniiloyers should pay the difference between ordinary pay and military pay, ind not full pay, as is the case at prelent. It was resolved that the Federation arrange for evidence on behalf of slie trade to be given at the special sitting of the Arbitration Court to be beld to consider the matter of the payment of apprentices when jn military camp. . The following remit was adopted •'That the conference be urged to pursue relentlessly the question of Government and local body trading, which is so detrimental to private enterprise and trading interests." As an instance Mr R. J. Bell (Wanganui) pointed out that th.j Wanganui City Council installed califonts complete for £9. They accepted a- deposit of ten per. cent., and allowed two vears for payment of the balance. These same callfonts were supplied to pjumbers at £B, less ten per cent., leaving £1 16s for fitting and profit There- was nothing in it from the plumbers' point of view. "That steps be taken to secure an amendment of the Bankruptcy Act, to make it compulsory for any insolvent | trader to file a petition in bankruptcy ;vns the next remit to be considered. \fter some discussion, it was adopted. Mr W. A. Jenkins (Dunedin) said that li his opinion creditors should not ac;ept a composition but should force iebtors to file their petitions m bankruptcy. Another member suggested ;liat in some cases n bankrupt shotild be adiudged incompetent and bo debarred from entering business again for a certain number of years._ The matter was left to the executive to act in conjunction with kindred Associations.

With reference to railway conces- i sions obtainable by plumbing appren- j tices atending Technical Schools. Mr' F. H. Jansen (Wellington) moved that, all information in the hands or the conference be forwarded on to thn various local unions. The question of awarding a diploma of merit on the Plumbers' Board examination was dealt with by a special committee, which reported as follows : "The only solution we can see to this problem is tlmt a diploma be , g>ven at each half yearly examination of the Plumbers' Board to the candidate receiving the highest percentage or n»nrks in each of the theoretical and practical sections, provided that he obtain at least 85 per cent, of tne

maximum marks." The report was received and it was resolved that it be retrospective. ,

Election of Officers.

The election of officers resulted as follows: President, Mr G. R. Baxter j (lnvercargill); vice-presidents, Messrs E G. Dowrick (Hawke's Bay) and F. J Dann (Christchurch); secretary and treasurer, the Canterbury Employers Association secretary; executive, Messrs F. L. Home, W. C. Large, T. • G. Killick, and W. P. Riches; district vice-presidents, Messrs W. Malone (Auckland). C. A. Couchman (Wanganui), P. Loach (Hastings), W. King (Wellington), E. S. Walton (Chris*church), G. Dyer (Dunedin), G. G. Webb (lnvercargill), and T. Currie (Timaru). The delegates' expenses, amounting to £53 3s lid, were passed for payment. It was resolved to hold the next conference in February, 1931, in lnvercargill. The conference was._then closed. , , , . ... In the afternoon the delegates visited Messrs Scott Bros.' foundry to witness the manufacture of cast-iron baths, and Messrs Crompton, Ltd., I factory to inspect Christie cisterns