SOCIAL TO THE DELEGATES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 259, 25 July 1908, Page 6

SOCIAL TO THE DELEGATES.

ABSENCE OF MINISTERS COMMENTED ON. • Afc the -New . Century Hall last evening i. smoke social was tendered the. visiting delegates, to the Labour. Conference by the Wellington Trades and Labour Counoil. Mr. 6. H. Lightfoot, president of the Council, occupied the chair, and among those present by invitation wore his Worship the Mayor (Hon. T. W. Hislop), the.Hon. J Rigg, and Mr. Tregear. An apology for absence was received from the Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister for Labour); The Premier stated that he would bo present if his Parliamentary duties permitted. Mr. Massey also apologised for unavoidable absence. .

In opening, the gathering, the Chainnaß said he hoped that the aspirations of. laboui would receivo more consideration . from th< Government than they had in'the past. Ir had been Said that labour did : not knoi( , what it wanted, but this was not so. In proposing the'toast of the Conference, the Mayor said that forty years ago, trade unionism had practically no : footing, but a great change had taken plac6 since, and even a Conservative would admit the t good -it' had ■ done.. He had .much..pleasure, in propositi? the toast of "The Conference." v In reply, Mr. James Thorn Said that" th» Conference had come at a time of crisis, and people were'"panicky." This, was because the advice tendered "by labour during tha past few years' had not been taken by th' Government. , ... .. '. . : , ■ Mr. D. M'Laren said that while they wished to preserve the right to strike, they did not want to sco any sectional strikes. The Ministers saidihey had no sense of responsibility, but he,s!>j£ it was proposed ...that if any labour trouble came about a central NewZealand executive should, carefully consider, the position, and the responsibility and action would be fully considered. In the present Bill,'.the Government had put the views of practical men to :■ one side. The work tho Conference had yet to do was to decide upon a New, Zealand Federation ,of Labour to. speak with one voice." " • ' . ■ Mr.' E. Howard. (Canterbury) said that compensation cases should' be decided' by a jury, and not'a judge. The Chairman at this stage read'a telegram from the' Premier regretting his inability to be present; Some hooting at this announcement, and cries of "He's afraid" and "cocktail," were heard; _ '. Ijie Chairman proposed the toast of "Parliament," coupled with the name of the Hon. J. Rigg. Tho difference between the; two .parties, in Parliament, he said,' was very slight, and, in his opinion, th<s only parties there were really were that representing tho capitalistic and that representing the labour interests. He was sorry the Minister for Labour was not present, as he wanted .to havo a slap at him. Tho Minister must bo overworked, or he had suMet his contracts. (Laughter).' In reply, Mr. Rigg regretted the absence of tho Premier and the Minister for Labour.

Voice: They're on strike. ' i Mr. R'igg said that the Premier was busy— tho House was in Committee of Supply—and Mr. Millar was, as they said, overworked, from tho work given him by tlio Conferenco. He emphasised that tho .first question Parliament should discuss should be the wants and employment- of the worker. The only thing that would do any good was an independent labour party. Ho complained that those who formed it gave it tho least assistance. The difficulty' was to get candidates suitable to tho workers. Mr. E. J. Carey: They will evolve. Continuing, Mr. Rigg said ho honed they would. In order to overcomo the difficulty, he suggested, they should ease tho pledges. (No! No! 1 ) "Then chango your men to other places," he advised. . Other toasts honoured were: —"Tho Mayor and City Council," and "The Wellington Trades and Labour Council."

During tie , evening; songs,- etc., wer< rendered by 'Messrs. Purchas, Watkins, Good' all, and Norton. Mr. A. Bloch superintended the arrangements satisfactorily.