LABOUR IN COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 257, 23 July 1908, Page 4

LABOUR IN COUNCIL.

THE RIGHT TO STRIKE.

STRJKES-AND ACITATORS,

THE, ARBITRATION BILL* The annual Conference of the New Zoaland Trades and Labour Council was. continued at - fcl/o Town Hall yesterday morning, Mr. J. Thorn boing in the -chair. . v '-; '. Mr. M. ,J. Reardon moved that the Conference ro-affirm the principles: laid down in the Act of the Hon..-W. P. Reeves in 1894. Mr. E. Howard (Canterbury) supported the motion; becauso it had gono forth that. Labour was trying to break down the.Act,! Ho represented a largo "numbor of workors,; and they were decidedly in favour.tion and arbitration. , •" .Mr, H. R. Rusbridgo (Canterbury) thought the motion too vaguoi ' The matter- hail, not ' been discussod by his Council, antl it would be dishonourablo for the Canterbury "clole- : gates to say that they expressed tho opinions -, ■ of tho '4000 Unionists" thoy. represented. ',Thoy could, ihowever,', express t-heitl own. personal views. Ho moved, as an amendment, that tho principle of conciliation and,,arbitration bo affirmed- as the experience; of tho past showed that tho workers of the Dominion had' derived material benefit from that sys-. as against tlio old methods . of strike.. land lock-out. " , >'• w : Mr. P. H. Hickoy (Westland)supp6rted the motion. Ho said that tho spirit of conciliation' in 1894 was' in contradiction to that 'of; to-day, and labour entirely approved ofj that Act,:.but not tho amendments. - Mr.- Alsweiler (Southland) said thoy were t not hero to break the Act down, but" to build it'up',-'and this must bo dono onasatisfaetory basis. The.principles advocated by Mr..Reeves wero very sound, and if'thoy had been' acted up or labour , would not be;iri its present position. - ; ■; Mr., Wtetbrooko said 4hat, the Act.; caused the. workers to be ,2n a state.-of seething dis/' ' content. . ':■. ' Mr. D. M'Laren (Wellington),, believed;that; tbe'Ministers of the Crown were simply play-; . ing tfjth the position. ' —. /;• REPRESSIVE LEGISLATION,. " -Mr. M. J. . Reardon said .-that ; to-day they - ; had repressive legislation, and ; . it -would, not have the effect, the promoters .of Jt. 'desired.. He characterised the . prosont Bill as an illegitimate ohildr " The Tepressivo: clauses camo- - from Dr. Findlay, and thoy wero told that Tesort would be mado to the Riot Act, and after-.that— ■ ■ ; '

Tho Chairman: The guns. '. Mr. Reardon did : not believe that it was •Mr. Millar's Bill. . . ....

'A; delegate"thought that if. this!;was".s6 it Was' a reflection upon Mr. Millar's honesty. Mr. Reardon continued that Mr. Massey •had,said that- he believed that the prmciplo of'conciliation ;should bo. extended. Mr. Massey also' said that ho would not bakers''"strike a party question, becauso thought-that the'condition of the men shouldi. bo improved. As in-England, continued, Mr.' Reardon; coercive, measures camo from tho; Liberals," and -it was from .tho Tories,' whom' they - had regarded as opponents,- that;: they had received the most consideration..'- Jlf tho motion was agreed to the power to withdraw, labour from the market would bo lost. ..Tho, Chairman said that the unions of Canterbury were practically unanimous in opposing Mr. Millar's Bill."' Rather than liavo their ■ disputes settled by arbitration, when arbitration ■-.was tliemr-t-h"sy--Would-have to resort t-o the strike method. Under the.'present Bill, it seemed that they werenot going to,, got 'anything l like; b.ut brutal, "repression' only.' 'If -the workers diif not abide' by tho-law.,-they"would bo finedii and—' •' . A Delegate: gaoled.":; .< Tho Chairman:'lf a law does not respect ns, .wo won't respect it. Mr. 'Jackson (Westland) said that the legislation::introduced■ to-day was:the result of thb;action; of:certain-unions. Had it-not been for: arfew in the-Blackball- Union stirring .' up strife therp would have been'-'no trouble. - . Mr. Hickey objected ;to this statement. He characterised tho remark as a most unjust slur upon the members • of the . union. They were, not a-liot-headod lot of fanatics. Mr. Jackson continued that until the day came when they would havo their own re- : presentatives' in.' Parliament they., should uphold conciliation and arbitration. Mr.\T. O'Byrne (Southland) complained of the administration of . 'the; Act.-' . ; . Ho said'that' 'decisions, contradictory to- the evidence, had been given by tho Arbitratibii'-,.Court, and unless the .law.Vwas; amended .to-provent victimisation they would be right 1 -in going out on strike. ■ •■ ■■ ■ V ' ill iVI ET TH E . OUTP Uf.". r Mr. G. A. Parke saidthey . wero not allowed to but they could unofficially agree to limit tho output.- - It . would'Aho impossible ; for- -MrMillar.-.to- get his Bill through, and ho should get; it; approved jby Labour-first. ' t

Mr. Breen (Otago) hold that'it-'should bo voluntary for tho Unions to.'comp under the .provisions of .-the Act or. not. '. ' Mr. Cooper (Wellington), in supporting tho .motion, said tho''Act had degenerated from an Act'to cncourago. industrial: Unions.-and Bottle disputes W tho (suppression of strikes. The amendment- was'lost liy'l7 to 7. ' v : Mr. D v M'Laren thSri'-rnoved':— ; 'i : "!' ".That this Conference rc-afßrms tho \ - principles set out in tho special report. ,on j ; . tho Conciliation..:.and vArhitrfttion,. Act) ' adopted by the Conference, of 1907. That 1 : ':we afflrm tho following principles having—, - • xeferenco.. to•'•. tho industrial, law%pf ; . country(l)' That conciliation' 'arid * ar-":'-" bitration is .a bettor. means of' settling;. . disputes than-the method. of •,strikes: and lock-outs,.provided'prbper. nieans are provided for effecting such conciliation and';. • arbitration on, lines of equity and jus-, tico. (2) That any conflict'arising be- ,i, V'tween, a Union of workers'and an em- - ployer or body of employers should -bo " i treated as an industrial djsp.uto to bo' siettled, if possible, by the! Boards or . Court established under the Act. (3) That, provided the tribunals established., ■ aro unablo to effect a settlement of any . ■ dispute,-tho parties concerned in the di's- • putb' : shall bo freo'in 'law to .take such' 1 , step's as'they deem necessary for the-proy" V tection of their rcspectivo interests, or effecting a settlement by any othor means' than tlioso specially established by law. • (4) That we regard the attempts...being (i ' • made towards ejecting. a moro equitable' • . distribution •of .wealth'by means .bf.'iil-". dustrial tribunals as likely, from the.very ; . ..Daturo of our economic system, to boiu(: and unsatisfactory. (5) That ■ .wo hold ;that ; the arbitration ".law .sboilkl:. only deal with the matter of settling dis-' putes as-thoy arise, Icavingthe workers., free to uso the power of their combina- ■ tions to advance their economic interests without subjection of largely created. .by the capitalist class ~' v ■ v The mover said that' whether'tho 'Amondihjj'Bill was'tho work of Mr. Millar or not •he, had never r 6cbn such a dastardly attack on' Labour. The law must. be that .-.of equity and justice to meet approval, arid he believed that it was in the interests', of tho capitalist class. : Tho speaker ' said that Mr. , Millar had in the-public Press incited tho workers to attack their leaders. Tho present iibcr.il Government, playcd vtho: same,'tiling as Bismarck-did, that of dividing the forces of Labour, and tho result was that Labour had only -a-:small :dcgreoVof repfcsciitatiiin,. and 'thoy, must tako up tho position of sub-, jention. It was a crimo .against democracy, and-the effectiveness of the Labour movement.

Mr. M.'Laren afterwards changed the word "loaders" to "officers." • Mr. 11. R. llusbridge said that tho amend-' mcnts were childish, but they were brought about by tho actions of certain workers. Certain agitators had used Labour/for political' purposes. This ■ was stirring up strife in-: stead of lighting for Labour representation. Thoro were somo good things in thomcasuro. A'Voice: Very fow. ■ Mr. ltusbridgo said that somo did not want law and order. .

Tlio Chairman said lie wanted to givo an omphatio donial to, tho statomont that cor"ftitfed up by agitators in; tho Independent* Political Labour party. Sliim out in this. No mcmbe'fs '6f the 'party '\voro concerned in tho Auckland, .tramway i strike, but 'tho' leading spirit was Mr. Arthur Rosser, a membor of tho .Liberal and Labour Federation, and the Wellington bahis frignd,,^,tor r Andrew Collins, waSj *01100 a!' menitdi' of tho Federation. Tho" Blackball strike Was the only ono of. which, it could bo said that agitators"w(^r l (i"nt l 6rlc, although Mr. Hickey .explicitly'donied it. There was sufficient enthusiasm in tho Independent Labour party "to* "without stirring up strifo. Mr;-' Ilick'cy said that tho conditions of work 'titVthd '.Otira. tunnel contract wero awful. Tlio contractors ovaded tho ■ conditions of; thot:contract,' and ho could speak from that tho. men worked in snow and ice, and that in tho tunnel water from the melting; snow broko in upon thom. .. :Mr. Wi.,Hv Westbrooke (Wellington) said that Mr. Collins did all ho know.to prevent the ..bakers' strike; lie did not stir it up as.lia.d been stated. When tho strike was doclared. ho morely acted in tho capacity of secretary. Tho, Union was dissatisfied with tho decisions-of—tho-'-Court, and for that tlicso amendments wore brought down. If tho awards wero unjust what we.ro' thoy to do? They wero justified in taking tho action tlwyiididvi OJiS''''"' ' 1 " -

Mr. Long (Auckland) said that agitation was absolutely necessary. ' It was the. duty of; this Conference to urge upon the Govtho desirability of dropping the Arbitration ■ Bill.» He. thought that tho reason It' was! 'brought-, 'down was that the Govornm'iirit were , 'oppo'£<Sr i "t6 tho federation qf labour. ; ' Mr.. Reardon that Mr. Justice Sira'"%ds .V : rabst;< -able Judgo upon legal points,* bntfthii wasiaicit. what thoy - wanted. Regarding agitators, ho hfeld that all editors, all clergymen, and all politicians wore agitators:'-«»< ■' '.

tho opinion that thi -.Bill r would; increase striking. : Mr.,.o'Bypp| ; Ho's n very important, man is agitator, want moro of him. :

The Chairman: Wo aro : not discussing.agitators at,present. '.• ,

• < Mr. Broon "tliotigivt"','"'agitators were very nepos'sary, nnd tlidy should agitate in the .direction of making■" theworkers intelligently discontented., ■ •' GfT ATI 0 ROM OTE D. Mr. E. Howard roferred to the leading articlc in yesterday's Dominion, and he saia .that: ti|ne;Jiad. jjp.t been'.wasted by the Conference. ■> It,, ,was, ~qjiite. true •, Parliament and 'tho.'.:people' wore, waiting for thp Labour pronoqliicentoiili. Ho" complained liad been paid to' be qiliot, and ..thatrtlie ranks of; tho Independent Labour Party-had-been thinned-by promotions. He supported the motion. ;a^ Mr. E. Carter (Wellington) said that tho strike clause coiil(l,,only operate upon a wqrkor, and' equally on employer andomplayeei-,' l ;. ■ Tho employee had to -soil his «laljotip4o''li)s,' employer at a lose, and: tho,;'la'tt<3r ;'*shonld' liavQ to carry on; his businessWvon-if lo_sing.. • : Mr. would withdraw his hniendment if'an opportiinitiy was given later on' of disci:ssing..it.. . " This. was' ; 'aijrbed-'to, and the motion was carried.;.-'-.' a-'- .•>-•: '■ . ■ / ' ,m . THE ARBITRATION BILL. ; ..'lt was*;ifVen ''deeide"d' to discuss the Arbitration Bill;. ..'.

Miv. Reardon.,pioy.ed':— > ' tlnsriOonfex;eiicb is- opposed'.to • all thdJTstiikb'-'-andi'lock-oUt clauses- with - thOiOxcoptioiLoLSection,B, which repeals' ■Section 15 of the Amending Act,._tho -- anti-sti'iko .'-.-- . -. ■-.- ~ Mr. S. E. Brown ! : (Otago) remarked, that when lie roturned.iho.iwould suggost that it ,would_.bo-..uselesa_to send dolegatos to ;conforencos as ho did not think that they were -being treated fairly., Irrelevant motions we're brought up, and lie characterised, this as unT de'r-handed. - _ -,V;.... ■" , dofenco of. what tho esecnbivis'jfiiiidS.don&~^;>:V : ;;''.-o;.''.-.., Mr.' Green 15 -rotained. : : Ifunions weiit oh'i'fstrtka.' they, - must pay ,'tho -penalty. ■-■VVi.'l' l ';-.'V-f'V-"'-S\lr; contrai-'isxccutivb-of! 'bo' sot'-vup;,'when it' strike' was probable or, immiif6nt.% ',^J^j[ii|thod'of going out in ,-soctions wiis- absurd tho standpoint of Labour's best interests. .The matter would be ai}'d : the executive would bd 'hM^jrdSift)rpit)l|b!? ( i z jtlio effect that "-the 'pon'fm'pii'eqV.disapiirovedvof Part 1 of the' Bill' as. a whole was lo3t. . . - ; ;Thb mptipn .)vas cajriod by 16 to 6. - ""•Clause-.ll,; which gave St-ipeitdiary Magistrate's the. power of 'dealing with enforcement cases wai'^liext '.considered. " : ;Mv. Lightfoot .'said ;>that, speaking of tho .Wellington,- Magistrates, ho would greatly prefer cases being .brought before them, but We]l|ngtoh ,! 'Vas ""riot* New, Zealand. Ho thought..#would bo a-great deterrent to employers ifi-thoy.iknew-that enforcement cases wpuljl. bqiit.skfn; as .soon as they occurrcd, .becauso wore treated as ono. case aindor' tho'present system. ■The clause a w'as "approved. .. ;Claus3;'l2;' , d'daliflg"\Vith the; applications of the of awards, wa:i-appi^y^d..,, .'With tho ,addition of..'tho"words "not, exceeding," regarding tKo'' money.--penalties, clause. 13 was approved. . - v .- Clauso 17, which;-:'reatls that every penalty recovered in any action shall be recovered by tho pliiin'tiff-.toitheaiso of tho Crown, and tho amount, thereof shall, when received ,by tho plaintiff, belaid into tho Public Account, .wassdisapproved of,'it being ,decided that'th'o wbrcls.' '$toSsl}o uso of' the Crown" bo deleted, "when" bo altered to "be," and tlie words aftoV. v >'p]&intiff" bo deleted, j'

:Mr. Long.JAucldajid) complained that the .jnanhai'liii.-whiiJliLthtL l Labour ; Department ;treated tho. ; pipj}?.; 'disgraceful, and ho Hi;usukT that'tlio'unions'would handle theii "own'eases-and-ignoro-tho Department. ?, iMr.-M'Laren Wiolv l exception to the right' of Appeal, as provided in Section 19, and an ;amendm€nt;;jspposmg/>appeal was carried. 'I)Mr. M'Laron ,said. that the. ponal: clauses fflijttjVßjt; method of enforcing ;priy law;* and it,'showed, that tho Liberal party liad- losfc their heads. Ho was not'in favour "bf'tho Oppositiqn,,. but it wasVsimply a caso "of Tweedledum 'ffns.,Twecdledco., The thing :,they wanted was a'pivrty of their oVn. Thoy ■liad been accused' but:when S«6h a measuro.as this ,was' brought down the .accusers ,'sjiould hang' : their/own heads in IShamo, " {(. ' ■ ■ Mr. Reardon moved . that the -Boards boVjetaincd.'^"He said that private ;'conpiliatißii'"had"'given even loss.'than the .Court, gnd any person who' would; sign such an agreemonl''' was a 'base betrayor ,of his iiftSre&s. • If tho ; decisions of the ! .Col'iciliatitm''Board,' which dealt with .tho had been .accepted, "there would" haven/eon" no striko to-day. 'He .'contended- that ,-if, tlfp,. Boards, woro given a vpropor ippportunity '' tho services of the ArJbitratitfp. not be "required- at all. ' (Sear,' heaK).':.'

% ' Mr. Carey spoko. against industrial coun"cils, wlviqb, ..htj v sai bo a temptation jto some ; unionists ' to 'Bcir;thcmsolves and tboir unions as well. - i Mr., Rusbridge roso in protest against isuchj'a 'slitr^upbn^unionists.' ■ j ' Mr; Carey 'said.ho was speaking of something he know about, and lie said that private agreements ""word' prejudicial to the unionists and gave loss than what the Court or Board .would havo givoii. '■> Clauses 21 to 24,' tho clauses providing for 'the recovery of lines by deductions from wages, were objected to. The Conference then adjourned until this morning. ...

Thero is in this country a very much larger class gifted with artistic culture and capacity than in former timos/ and tho materials out of which to'form an'enlightened and elfcctivo administration'for ri National Theatre would not bo past finding out. The problem as it now stands is ono almost entirely of money. —" Pall. Mall "Gazette." ' . Tho architecture of.our citics has been far too Jong, under tho control of local shopkeepers and other .persons whose education and environments are, as a rule, sufficient to account for thoir total apathy with regard to tho artistic aspect of any building schcmes. .—"guilders'. Journal."