LABOUR CONGRESS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3127, 4 July 1917, Page 9

LABOUR CONGRESS

OPENING DAY'S PROCEEDINGS Tho open congress of industrial organisations opened yesterday at tho BeeJi lve , Uuunbera, Courtomiy Place, and the following otiicial report is supplied. uff <~ lc S atos directly reprcsoutiug all tho trades and Labour Councils in tho Dominion, twelve national trado and industrial federations, and sixty trades unions wero present. Mr. B. J. Howard (Ohristchurch) was elected chairman of thy conference. Before proceeding with tho business on tho order paper the following resolution was carried: "That this congress, representing ovor fifty thousand trado unionists, form a deputation to tho Prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward, and request thorn to recommend tho Government to release the men who havo been imprisoned under tho War Regulations." It -was decided that- the congress should adjourn as soon as the necessary arrangements could ho mado lo meet the Ministers.

Messrs. Wesloy E. Ilichards, M. J. Mack,, E. Hunter, J.. Roberts, A. Black, T. Bloodworth, and D. W. Coleman were appointed as a special committee to bring forward recommendations to the congress for future organisation -with a view to securing i legislation to assist unions desiring to amalgamate. It was resolved to ptiblcly protest against the remarks mado to a "Lyttelton Times" reporter in February last by the Hon. W. Fraser, Minister for Public Works, when he was reported to have stated that ho was opposed to local bodies, in receipt of loan money from the Government, paying the ridiculously high -wages of Hs. per day, and he would not sanction tho payment of moro than lis. per day. A letter which was sent to tho Minister on March 15 last by tho secretary, Mr. H. Hunter, and which had not been replied to, was read and endorsed. It was resolved also that a deputation bring tho matter before the Minister.

It was resolved to request the Government to alter tho date of election of workers' representative and deputyworkers' representative on tho Arbitration Court from December-January, as at present, to April-June. That nominations be invited up to a certain date, and after tho close of nominations all unions bo supplied with a list of tho nominees and an election be then held and all unions given time to record their votes.

It was decided to insist upon the principle, affirmed by the previous open congress in 1915, that all workers employed in any State Department shall receive not less than the minimum rates provided by awards of. tho Arbitration Court for similar classes of work performed by workers in privato employment. It was resolved that the Government be urged to commandeer all the foodstuff in tho country and retail it to tho people at pre-war rates; that tho whole congress form a deputation to tho' Ministers to protest against the increased cost of living, and that all sympathisers with the deputation be invited to co-operate 'in- the demonstration to Parliament House.