LABOUR CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 648, 27 October 1909, Page 5

LABOUR CONGRESS.

TESTBEnAY.'S (DOINGS. ' ; Yesterday was the' eeoonid j day of' the conference of delegates froin the.; Trades and ; Labour. Councils -of . New"Zfialand.'; i : Mr/'.E. A Breen (Otago) presided." v.;■...;.. '.;■■ .;.-.■; •The Hon. J.T. Paul,'M.LiC;, and Mr. J. P. 'Arnold, M.P., entered during the were welcomed by the'chairman. ', ■ Mr. Paul, in acknowledging the'greeting,'said' '.the.first need of the.i labour movement was 'consolidation' within., itself.•'.They, might well; begin with electoral reform, so ,as to, secure a .fair' represeniatitfn: of -Labour in-; Parliamont.> The , 28; per; cent.'quota .in favour of. rural electorates,.was unjust.... ;. ■;. ; , ■■;.. Mr; Arnold, said it' :was important that, the : aspirations' ,of. Labour, should ■ be, brought .impressively .before . those •■ in : authority,.;and , : he; knew ofno better .means of dodng thisthaa by the. holding, of conferences of the; ablest and, ■ most ■ representative men in the movement..They should- have sent a dozen'Laboar, members 'to Parliament at the last; election. , Hei would do all he could to advance the cause.Mr. T. K. Sidey, M.P., came during' the I afternoon, and acknowledged tho welcome which the chairman ertended ■■-.', ~ Mr. E. J. Ca-fy (Wellington), again brought up the questions of representation at the All-. British' Labour'LCongress,- . Mr. James l .Thorn had l been -appointed 'on the provjoue? day as' New ' ZjSxland f -delegate . Mr. Carey moved that' , tho.: incoming executivo be instruoted ,to oonsider', Uhe question of additional representation, and report • to' the connoils for instructions.thereon... - ■; ■ An addition, suggested, by -Mr. H. >B. Rnsbridgo (Canterbury),; that- .the. council ..should refer the matter to ,tlie unions; was accepted rby the mover. . ■'•.''• ■; ■.-•.■ ': ■•■ The motion was' carried without dissent" ■■ .'The; report,and baJaßcersheet,. as. submitted 'on the previous day,';'were adopted. ; .'-. ''. ■■: A 'constitution for, the proposed New. Zealand. /Federation of Labour was dealt"' with and amended.' ;■ '. : : >''..'■•' '■■■ , -. . X Other jiroocedings'-'are .reported....under-. a. 'sermrate heading. / >' '.i , .-. .' - ■ The conference lesuiries at 9,30 a.m.,, to-day.