TIMBER-WORKERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 107, 2 November 1909, Page 3

TIMBER-WORKERS.

CONFERENCE AND FEDERATION AFFORESTATION WANTED. The conference of timber-workers from all parts of the Dominion," which sat throughout yesterday in the Trades' Hall, devoted most of its time to the consideration of proposals for a federation of sawmill employees. A constitution was finally adopted, and tho title of the federated body was given as the New Zealand Sawmills, Timber Yards, and General Wood-workers Employees' Association. The conference further affirmed the principle of unconditional statutory preference to unionists. The : weekly payment of wages was another I point on which delegates dwelt. It was pointed out that the retention for a month of money earned by casual hands caused unnecessary hardship, and sometimes had the effect of bringing families nearly to the verge of starvation. Uniformity of hours was another point which the. conference discussed. The principle of a 44-hours' week was affirmed. On afforestation, delegates had something to say. Mr. Phelan (Auckland) described the diminishing timber industry of the North. He estimated the life of the present eupply of timber available in the Dominion at about nineteen years. A great deal of poor land could be used for tree-planting. In this way useful timber might be supplied for tho markets, and something might bo done to cko out the areas of kauri and other valuable timbers still left. Other arguments in, favour of afforestation were adduced by speakers, who remarked on unemployment and the value of tree-planting to meet this evil and give people a chance of earning a livelihood. Finally, the conference passed a resolution urging on the Government the necessity of proceeding with the afforestation of waste lands of the Dominion. 1