LABOUR IN COUNCIL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 104, 29 October 1909, Page 2

LABOUR IN COUNCIL.

STATE CONTROL AND OTHER MATTERS. The Trades and Labour Conference made up somewhat yesterday afternoon for the slow progress through its long order-paper by getting through a large, number of remits on the questions of State control, the Arbitration Act, and the Shipping and Seamen Act. Mr. Breen presided. Two motions relating to practically the same subjects— the State control of the iron industry — were laid before the conference. They were : "(1) That the Government be urged tc cancel tho agreement leasing the Parapara iron ore deposit to the late A. J. Cadman, and at present held in trust by the Public Trustee, and the State work the iron deposit in the interest of the people. (2) _ That the Government be urged to nationalise the' iron industry.'-' The motions were carried, 'reaffirming the desirability of the Government maintaining control of the mineral wealth of the Dominion. Mr. T Long (Auckland) moved : "That Government bo urged to bring down a scheme to utilise the waterpower of the Dominion for the public benefit." The motion was carried without discussion. STATE FERRY SERVICE. Mr. W. T. young (Wellington), moved : "That in the opinion of conference it is desirable that in the best interests of New Zealand there should be a State connecting link between the North and South Islands, and with that object in view we urge upon the Government the desirability of taking over the steam ferry service between Lyttelton and Wellington." The motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Darcy (Canterbury) moved : "That the Government be urged (a) To acquire a mail-carrying service, instead of subsidising private ship-owners ; (b) to take over the ferry service between Lyttelton and Wellington." This motion was also carried. Mr. Pritchard (Canterbury) moved : "That the present condition of the Government coal service is incomplete, and the time has arrived when the Government should have- their own colliers." The motion was carried without discussion. v Mr. Warren (Otagoj moved : "That the Government be urged to establish State flourmills for .'the purpose of supplying the people of the Dominion with the staff of life at a reasonable cost." The motion was carried. Mr. G. R. Whiting (Canterbury) moved : "That the Government be urged to start State boot factories, and that the conference suggest the establishment of one in the North and one in tho South Island." The words "and clothing" were introduced by amendment into the motion, which thus included clothing factories as well as boot factories. The motion was adopted. ARBITRATION ACT. It was decided, on the motion of Mr. Jackson (Westland) to recommend : "That section 53 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Act, 1908, be struck out, and that stection 5 of the principal Act be reenVcted." Mr. O'Byrne (Southland) moved : "That tjie conference take steps to appoint an organising agent to especially follow up Arbitration Courts, and conduct all cases or behalf oi' affiliated unions." Carried. SHIPPING AND SEAMEN ACT. A number of amendments to the Shipping and Seamen Act were proposed by Mr. W. T. Young, and passed by the conference. They dealt with an increase in the manning scale, desertion, boat drill, certificates, steer-oars for'j lifesaving boaj;s, allocation "of boat stations, and various life-saving precautions. Such alterations, he contended, would help U minimise fatalities in such cases as the Penguin wreck. TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. The conference this morning was attended by the Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C., and Messrs. T. E. Taylor and J. F. Arnold, M.P.'s, and Mr. Tregear. After an address by Mr. Taylor the conference went into committee to consider the position of Messrs. Naughton and Reyling as delegates from the Wellington Trades and Labour Council. A vote of no-confidence in these delegates was carried at last night's meeting of the Trades Council after a ttoray debate lasting some time. ' On the motion of Mr. Hart (Canterbury), seconded by Mr. Young (Wellington), it was resolved — "That this conference expresses its regret, in the best interests of Labour, at the internal difficulties of the Wellington Council, as revealed by the explanation of conference delegates and trusts that those difficulties will be overcome as rapidly as possible. We further request that all delegates, whose credentials have been received to this conference, continue to act until the close of proceedings." Mr. Naughton, in replying after the conference had .resumed, said that hu was only ip the Labour movement for its own sake, not for himself. He thanked the conference for its attitude. THE .BETTERMENT PRINCIPLE. Mr. Warren (Otago) moved — "That this conference affirms the betterment principle in connection with railway construction, with the object of putting it on. a more scientific and equitable basis, in the hope that it will act as a curb on political influence." — Carried. WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Mr. Carey (Wellington) moved — "That the Act be amended by altering the interpretation of 'worker' so as to include any person whose earnings have not, for the year prior to meeting with an accident, exceeded an average of £5 per week ;" "That the restrictions at present embodied in the interpretation clauses of the Workers' Compensation Act, 1908, in respect to 'domicile or residence' be abolished." Adopted.