LABOUR AND THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 256, 22 July 1908, Page 4

LABOUR AND THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

DISCUSSION AT TRADES COUNCIL 1 CONFERENCE.' ' .

EXPRESSION OF OPINION, ASKED; FO% Tlio attitude of to tho liquor'traffic was given expression by, tho dolegates to. tlio .. Trades and Labour: Councils' Conferoneo yes-. * terday,' when tho following' motion, moved • by Mr. M. J. Rcardon, camo lip for dis- . uussion : : "That in, view,of .the hostile- attitude oft!>o Licensed -Victuallers' ~Asspciati6nN towards organise):! labour, ; this Conf-or- ■ ( enco be requested'to give an expression . of opinion! on tho- liquor traffic."' . The nujver said that liquor, was ; taking, a, united stand against laltour. ; Ho "was. tivo that when they had to faco tho hostility of ,the liquor party.they had to"faco the" op-, position of tho best: organised arid most un : - ; scrupulous trado in tliq Dominion. Tlio niat^ ter was brought ;u'p -at-tlio annual. meeting of tlio New Zealand Licensed Victuallers' ■ Association,-.when it was stated that it was : only at one poiilt that- they had como incontact with the demands of labour. ;' The . speaker' complained that it was .considered iV';' menacing that a -weakly, half-holiday for hotel employees' should bo askod 'for,' •' ' : ' Mr. Carter. (Wellington) called; the trafficone of tlio crnel)pst' in existence); and' they had to consider, whether liquor .impaired:tho ; efficiency "of thp-worker, and the., latterrhad. ' to be advised on .tho'question. - , , _i, ... Sir E. J. Carey supported tlio motion.- Ho ' said that, the delegates need not be afraid of injuring .his- Union (tho Cooks' and: Waiters! 'Union). Tho traffic. }vas the eruel- . ' lest, ugliest, "and biggest' monopoly, existing in the Dominion. ■.■■ •• >. Mr. A; Hart" (Canterbury) opposed the. mo r tion. Tho matter, ho said, could bo decided outside'tho Conferenco. Mr. Lightfoot (Wellington) said that .the' traffic was a enrso, and it'.was ■ sapping tho lifo-blood of: tho workers. . Mr. J. Jackson (Westland):;'s'aid that tho .'matter should have .serious consideration.. • ■.' ( Mr. Husbridgo opposed ,'tlie. motion as .it did not propose to deal,"wjth ; -th6 industrial. ■ aspect- of tlio question. They had quite ■ enough dissensions among/themselves without-' bringing this in. yPime was /being .wasted ,in ouch discussion. ... ' •'. ... Mr: G. A. Parke (Otago) challenged tlio mover to quote any labour body which would put such a motion on its platform. '• Mr. D. M'Laren (Wellington) thought tjiat 'v tho Conference- should reeogniso the hostility < of the liquor traffic to labour, and state the '. attitude of labour to.it. -. , . ; ... ■ Mr. P. H. Hickoy (Westland) said that it was their , duty as dolegates to give an cxpression';of opinion. - Liquor-only gratified . their baser'passions. Mr. • A.. Tuffen (Otago) spoko strongly ' against the. liquor traffic. He would like to - seo tho. temptation removed • from tlio. ' workers." The Chairman said that thero was a time when moral;questions were on tho labour programmes, and gambling was ono of the'questions which had been-dealti'witli: The lie--ensed victuallers had called them agitators, and described them as a .menace, and were ■ apparently- anxious to fight. Labour would fight r also, : : he said. V Surely they .could say ' that ; the liquor - traffic,' jvliich destroyed tliousands of their brothers and sisters, should bo dealt with. . 1 .- : Mr. T.O-Byrne (Southland): said it was time that .the : Labour party took-a lead in. tho question: - He supported the motion. The motion' was carried'.uy 24 to i: