TRADES UNION CONFERENCE [BY TELEGRAPH-PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Evening Post, Volume LXI, Issue 85, 12 April 1901, Page 2

TRADES UNION CONFERENCE [BY TELEGRAPH-PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

DUNEDIN, 11th April. At the meeting of the ' Trades and Labour Conference to-day, ib was resolved that the section of the Defence Act providing that all military clothing, saddlery, and equipments imported into the colony for the bona fide use of volunteer corps shall ,be admitted free of dutVj, be repealed. A motion to suspend tho standing orders -to permit of a motion being discussed urging unionists to support unionmade American tobaoco was lost by 6 votes to 4. Mr. Belcher, Secretary of the Seamen's Union, attended and explained the effect of the motion moved by Mr. Collins on the previous day. The motion was— "That the Shipping and Seamen's Act, 1890, be so amended as to provide that- seamen who come under the Act shall receive the benefits provided for in the Act-, whether the articles of agreement have expired or otherwise." Mr. Belcher explnined that 'if a seaman fell ill during the currency of his articles he was entitled to wages for three ! months, but if lje was injured ,or' fell ill (say a week before the article expired) he would only receive that week's pay. What was desired was that the period should be three months in any cose. The motion was carried. " It was resolved to urge the Government to amend clause 10 of the Shipping and Seamen's A,ct to read — " That a . seaman shall satisfy. the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine that , he is competent to ship in accordance with sections 8 and. 9 of the Act of 1894." It. was further resolved— (l) "That it be compulsory on all seamen engaged m foreign, intercolonial, or coasting vessels to sign articles at the shipping ■ office before ' the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine;" and (2) *' that the Government be requested to see that properaccommodation ladders aro provided in holds of vessels and hulks for seamen to come up and go down in .safely* and that they be u^ged to appoint inspectors to examine- all gear, etc., at least once every six months, and further, to see that proper ventilation is provided in ships' holds, and that naked lights are prohibited where workmen are employed in ships' or hulks' holds." It was resolved—'" That the Government be again urged to inaugurate a scheme of national fire insurance?' • The delegates were entertained at afternoon tea by Mr. J. F. Arnold, M.H.R.