A LABOUR SURVEY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 72, 26 March 1909, Page 4

A LABOUR SURVEY.

TRADES COUNCIL ANNUM/ REPORT. The Trades and Labour Council met last evening. Mr. W. Noot presided. The management committee, in presenting its annual recoil, congratulated the council on tho satisfactory financial position as set forth in the balance-sheet, and} recommended that £100 be transferred from tho general account to the building lund. There were at present 30 unions affiliated to the council. During the year one union had withdrawn, and one new union aih'liated. The committee was called upon to summarily dispense with the cervices of the secretary, Mr. W. H. Westbrooke, for publicly using his official position in opposing the policy of the council, which it was his duty to uphold. Tire committee regretted that it was found necessary to do this, in view of the lengthened service that Mr. Westbrooke had rendered to the council aa a delegate. THE UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM. "We are," the committee added, "deeply distressed at the" large amount oi suffering that is being caused through want of work. It is cruel in the Government not putting a stop to all kinds of assisted immigration, with I perhaps the exception of the wives and children in. the Old Land of husbands and fathers now resident in our midst. It is the bounden duty of the Govern' me'nt to 'issue instructions to the High Commissioner to contradict th© fabrications with regard, to the state of employment in the that are being daily circulated in ,the British press by interested parties. We have lately pointed out to the Government, ways in which the unemployed could be supplied with work, and . we shall soon sse if they have (what they loudly profess to have) the welfare of the people a,t heart. At present they seem to be £nly tinkering with the problem. THE BAKERS' DISPUTE. -7 During the year they witnessed the bakers' strike, if such could be termed a strike, during the few weeks it was in operation. It was advisable to mention the disloyalty of those members of the Bakers' Unions, nol only in Wellington, but in other portions of the Dominion, In taking work when the strike was hardly begun, and thus playing into the hands of the employers. If the Trade Union movement was to reach a high point of excellence, the principles of unionism must be daily practised by thofce' within' its ranks; so that when any crisis arose it would be no stram upon them, but that they would be x fitted, and it would be a pleasure to resist the onslaughts of unfair employers. Then, and then only, would such sights disappear of so-called unionists accepting £50 bribes for having deserted their comrades in the hour of need. The maximum fine, £100, recorded against the Bakers' Union for striking was surely a sufficient answer to the assertions made' by the various employers' associations that the industrial law only operated against them. Employers in the past should have been fined, by the Arbitration? Court in such a manner as would 1 have made them chary of com- j mitting breaches in the future. j BREACHES OF AWARD. j The latest available returns showed that for the year ending 30th June, 1908, there were 240 convictions for breaches in the Wellington Industrial district against employers, and the aggregate fines amounted to £481, being an average of £2 0s Id' for each offence. Tt was high time, vide regulations to the |ndustryi|]i , Conciliation and Arbitration Act, that the Labour Departments, as well as unions 1 , were . empowered to put in the plaint notices the amount of fines j they wish to be recorded, as a fine of £2 against arf employer is only playing with iaw. HYSTERICAL RAVINGS. It was pleasing to note that Dr. M'Arthur had. .imposed penalties that would act' as deterrents to alleged obeyels of the law. The committee trusted that he would take no, notice of tb§ hysterical ravings of .the employers' organisations, but that , he would continue the good work that he had begun in seeing that the "workers', iig'hts are conserved, • and that justice is meted out. This innovation of Magistrates trying breaches was. .the 'result of the persistent" efforts of this and other Trades and Labour Coun cils in New. Zealand. It was true that they did not get all they, wanted, i.e., experts to sit with Magistrates. CONCILIATION COUNCILS. ' A new departure had become law in the setiing up of Conciliation Councils and the demolition qi the Conciliation Boards. • The committee regretted the demise of tli'e Conciliation Boards) for it still averred they were never given a fair deal. To the two workers' representatives on that board — Messrs. Collins and Cooper. — the committee desired to express appreciation for the services that they had rendered to the cause of labour during their occupancy of the position. More than one official of the unions had reason to thank them tor their help m explaining the various intricate clauses of the Industiial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, arid for assisting them in the modes of procedure to be adopted. "We further regret," said the committee, ".that the Government, in the appointment" of one of the Commissioners, did not appoint one with that know* ledgo of labour matteis that is so essential in a person holding such a responsible position. We trust that time will piove fch.it any fears we have at present regarding Mr. Giles's ability may be giou'ndless. However, at present, the outlook is riot blight with promise." In conclusion, the committee said: — "Notwithstanding these new Conciliation Councils, we are still of the opinion that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act by itself will not work salvation to Ihe workers. Our emancipation, as has been stated before, lies in the way of the formation of a political party in Parliament, to get ]ustice for the workers. The pioneer of that party has been returned in the person of Mr. D. M'Laren. , We congratulate the party on attaining that position, and although one representative seems powerless amongst so many, we trust that when the time iigain arrives for election Labour will be so solidified as to enable them to return, not only one representative, but a party strong enough to ensure that, the rights of Labour will be secured." The report was adopted unanimously. SECEDING UNIONS. Messrs./ W. Noot (president), E. J. Carey (vice-president), and D. M'Laren, M.P., were appointed by the council to' wait upon unions at present not affiliated with the council, with a view to inducing them to join the "council. They were also appointed to. wait upon the members of the Drivers' Union at their annual meeting with regard to the proposed secession of that union from the council, and to endeavour to induce them to retain affiliation with that body. BRICK AND TILE WORKERS. Mr. Purchas brought up tho matter of the disbundment of the Brick and Tile Workers' Union, and he asked whether the council couid assist in the mutter of le-estabhshing the union. The matter was dealt with in committee, and held ovew