LABOUR IN COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 242, 6 July 1908, Page 9

LABOUR IN COUNCIL.

WATERSIDE WORKERS. '' ' ■ ' . . SOME ECONOMIC QUESTIONS. Tito annual confercnco of delegates of affiliated unions of tho Now Zealand /Waterside Workers' Federation was continued in No. 2 Committee Room, Town Hall, on Saturday, Mr. F. Burton (Wellington), presiding. " DOMINION AWARDS." Mr. D. M'Laren (Wellington), moved:— "That tho executive compile a oomparativo statement of tho claims • and awards of, unions, so as to advise the unions on. some scheme for preventing ' conflict in the making of claims and defending of casos." ' He • said that some uniformity so far as concerned the hours of labouf worked by the unions, ■ was needed. As an example, ho would oito'the opinion of some workers tlmt the working week should consist of 47 hours, while others held that ii hours was a fair ivoek's work,- and so on. ' _ Mr. Goodall (Greymouth) ■ did not think that a universal award for tho different ports. of the country was desirable. The Court; under tho Act, could, ho contended, frame a goneral award governing all unions. Mr. Canharii (Auckland) said that it appeared to-,-him that men at different ports took a different view of thoir work. Ho had previously heard that tho Lyttelton men wero lazy; but from what had since transpired .at tho conference, it was due to them to say that their attitude was that they considered a certain number of hours per week constituted a fair stretch of work. The men objected to-be " rushed." In Auckland the policy of tho men was " to graft and sweat as a matter of course." He argued, . however, that tho.matter should bo considered from tho standpoint of tho betterment of all. . Mr. Jackson (Greymouth) said that what was aipied at was the_ unity of all, and the abolition of under-cutting. ./. ; 'Mr. M'Laren, returning to the motion, said that overy union should havo iti its posses-' sion a compilation of all tho awards existing. A colonial award would embody the main points of agreement in each, but the• individual circumstances of each port could be met by schedules to-suit the. conditions of living ■at each, and so on. He believed that if application wore made to. tho Labour Department, copies of comparative statements' or .awards might be struck off cheaply. > • ' Other, speakers, concurred,- and'the motion was carried.- . A WHITE .'NEW ZEALAND. . Mr. Canham (Auckland) brought up the question, of. a "AVhito New Zealand." ' The country was not carrying the white population it'should. Ho moved i— •-.'•,-i "That.while'fully recognising tho /,- economic'rights of/women, this Con- , > ' 1 ference urge upon the Government, to in eVery possible way, by a bonus 5' system ,or otherwise, encourage the propagation of tho white population in this Dominion." % • The mover said, that the Conference of last •year had fully discussed the Asiatic Immigration question, and had decided that the Government should be asked to introduce drastic measuros to deal with' it. It was suggested that contract labour should be"abolr ished, but the fact, remained that the country was only carrying • one-twelfth of; tho popu-lation-it required. . The statistics showed that France and:' England were carrying ,tnoi industrial needs of each, but Now Zealand was under-populated. -'/ ■•■ . . , . ■■■ . Mr. Jones' (Wellington) said, that, with high rents and the cost of living, thero was no encouragement for increasing population. As a result, what did they read of constantly in the I'ress?- All through -thero was a tendency to moral degeneracy. Tho conditions of the present time, ho contended, did not, mako for social purity. Thero was. no inducement' for ill-paid worker's i-o rear largo families.- . It was ev.en tho case that landlords-'wtfuld : actually'Tehise ;: ''t<)'ipt : l>(iujes,/ if 'the v would-be' tenants': had / largq'-'fiE'llies;' arguing 'ilit#??.tfUjli ii' family f'o'ver limit,' the.man■/ could- not -possibly keep uphir. rent. ' , -- ■['. '

i..'.Mr,--Gibb' (Auckland) said •that' tjiey'■woro' only'- working" ! in';':'accbfd -With ./the' .gonial trend of public opinion in agitating in the .direction .suggested'.by tho 'mover. . : •'••;/ ~.

Mr. M'Laren referred to the' conditions of tho, older 'countries of tho world, whore thoso women upon whoso shoulders the responsibility of rearing healthy. families was cast; wero compelled to go out and work for their living, leaving not only the present .but tho future generations to look after, themselves; -Tho vital question at issue was; how wero they to achiovo, the problem of producing tho best typos of manhood. It could only bo done by a revolution in tho existing economic conditions. It was true, that the workers" supplied the bulk of the'population, but what became of that section of tho population? Its members became mero machines in tho world'of industry, The bonus idea did'not appeal to him! ■ / .

Mr. Kelly proposed .an 'amendment :— ■ "That this Conference urgo upon the Government the early emancipa-, / tion of tho ; pooplo by tho Socialisation of tho means of production, . distribution, , and- tx- ,- with tho objcct of properly sustaining and protecting tho family • lifo of tho people."

It was, ho said, a question ho could not do full justice to., What did it matter how large tho' family was, if tho bread-winner could • not,-get _work. Why should tho poor bo furnished with an inducement to rear additional members of'tho slave population? They . wero faced with the ■ problem of finding work for those that 'were at present in the world, and there was'very little use in debating tho question of an.increase in population; until toe industrial question had boon solved. . ' . ' 1 '• ' . • Mr.' M'Laren seconded. Mr. Harney (Wcatport) said that lie .believed in'obtaining a little relief in the meantime, and he was inclined to support Mr. Kelly. He was afraid Socialism was getting a hold of him. ' (Hear, hear.). Mr. Jackson (Greymouth) reforred to, the doctrines of advocates of tho limitation of families—Bradlaugli and Mrs..Annie Besant. Ho was afraid that tho p'rincipics enunciated by these people, inspired, no doubt, by'.ail. anxiety to relievo tho ; stress among the poor, had been adopted by tho rich. Ho contended that it .was tho-duty of the State to extend somo assistance to those who had tho, courage to rear large families in- thoso days of dear living. It would be many docades before they arrived at ideal conditions. He supported Mr. Canham's motion. Mr. Farland said that tho question .was properly one. for straet-cornor agitation. They wore not assembled to discuss such matters—tlioy wero thero to , debato questions relating to tho betterment of. tho conditions of,wharf labour. General econoluic questions should bo left ,to thoso who wero paid to solvo them—their legislators. Mr.,Harney: You'ro talking rubbish.

Mr. Canham took strong exception to-Mr. Farland's observations-. Ho uid not proposo for ono moment to entertain any suggestion of street-corner agitation.. He was utterly opposed to conducting "Queen's Statue" campaigns, and being sneered at by tho "rag, tag, and bob-tail" of tho town. ■ . 1

Mr.. Jones (Wellington) said that tho not result of the teachings of the Bradlaugh-Besant-schools was that social degeneracy •had set in. Ho would liko to vote for both motion and amendment. The motion was a gradual move forward, but tho amendment sought to grasp tho millernium. Tho amendment was lost by 7 to 4, and the motion was carried. WAITINC-ROOMS, BATHS, AND LOCKERS. Mr. Gibb (Auckland) tabled the follow, ing remit: — " That the conference urge upon tho Government that all Harbour Boards shall supply adequato accommodation, with hatha and lockors for the members of tho Waterside Workers' Unions." Mr. Canham (Auckland) supported. Theii Union had a membership of I*loo, and all the accommodation provided was a small building- On one occasion tlioy were ablo

to provo trt the Auckland Harbour Board that thero were no fewer than 800 men employed on tho wharves at ono time. In tho faco of that tho Board would not grant accommodation over a floor space of 1000 feet. Tho Board had contended that gambling wont on. He would not deny that this was true of a certain section. But why should the whole Union be made to suffer P '

Mr. Farland said that . tho Wellington Union had to thank Mr. Fletcher for tho privileges which had so far been granted. The question of lockers was a vexed olio. He, personally, had been quito unable to provide for tho security of his lunch, while away-at work. It regularly disappeared.

Mr. M'Laren (Wellington) said that it was due t9 the Wellington Harbour Board to say that it had shown a disposition to consider tho needs of the r/orkors. Mr. Gibb (Auckland) said that reisonablo provision could bo made for tho responsible control of such accommodation,- so that complaints as to gambling, etc., would not arise. Tho motion was carried. , Mr. Farland, as a mark of appreciation of the work already done by tho Wellington Harbour Board, moved :— "That this Confercnco thank tho Wellington and Lyttelton . Harbour Boards for the efforts they are making towards providing bathing accommodation and 'lockors. for wharf ■ workers, and urge upon them tho necessity of their early completion." This was carried unanimously. REPRESENTATION ON HARBOUR BOARDS..

_ Mr. Gibb (Auckland) moved that waterside workers be represented on Harbour Boards. If tho Seamen's Union were represented, surely the wharfmen ought to enjoy a similar privilege. Mr. Canham seconded. . ■

■ Mr. M'Laren pointed out that tho secretary of tho Dunedin Union had a seat on the Harbour Board by virtue of his, oflico as secretary of tho Seamen's Union. ' He contended that 'Harbour Boards should bo elected on a democratic basis. On many matters of local government, the Old Country was thirty years ahead of us. He cited the Clydo Navigation Trust as an example of democratic franchise.

Mr. Jackson (Greymouth) pointed out that the Government, being largely interested, had a right' to bo directly represented. Mr; M'Laren: Whoso money do they spend? Mr. Jackson: Ours; of course.

Mr. Farland submitted that , democratic representation was hardly tho , point. They wanted direct representation for wharf men. Ho suggested, as an amendment, that all transport workers, bo represented. This was seconded.

i Mr. M'Laren was in favour of tho broader issue, as put. forward by. Mr. Farland, although seamen and wharfmen, being distinct classes of workers, should, ho thought, each be represented. . ■ Mr. Goodall (Groymouth) was afraid that direct representation of ono 'branch of transport industry was out of tho question. • The amendment was lost, and tho motion carried. : - CRAIN SACKS. The Conference adopted a remit from Auckland, congratulating the Government on its action in reducing the sizo.of grain sacks, and urging' upon them tho matter of rigidly enforcing tho regulation. WHARF LABOURERS' BADGES. An animated discussion ccntred upon the question of badges to bo worn by members of waterside workers' unions.. Opinion was divided as to whether badges wero necessary, while those who favoured their adoption held different views as to. tho particular design to .'.be adopted. As ono delegate wittily .observed, "it is bad enough to have to work at all, without advertising tho fact."It was generally agreed that it was not advisable to attempt to coerce, tho Unions,-in this matter, and tho following motion was adopted:— ...'

"That tho Conference adopt a ' badge, with the namo of the federation on the.same, together with tho namo of the port, for each Union as- .. i . required,-tho...Unions'to .be . .rqpom-. 1 '... mondod to acc'cpt the quarto'rly.iys-',, . ! tern, of issue." . , ~ •DEPUTATION: TO THE MINISTER. V ' Mr. M'Laren intimated to delegates that the Minister; for' Labour was prepared to receive a. deputation ,from the Conferolico. The deputation will wait upon; tho Hon. J. A. Millar to-day. ■ - The Conference, which adjourned at 1 p.m. on Saturday, will resume at 10 a.m. to-day.