NOW FEDERATED

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1927, Page 12

NOW FEDERATED

GENERAL LABOURERS' UNIONS

IMMIGRATION VIEWED WITH

ALARM

With the object of forming a federation, a conference of tho various Labourers' Unions throughout tho Dominion came to a successful conclusion last night. The conference was convened by the Wellington Union, and the ■ response was very satisfactory, Auckland, Wellington,' Clu-istchurch, Hawkes Bay, and Wanganui being represented. The rest of tho unions throughout the Dominion with one exception sent apologies for non-attend-ance, but promised unqualified loyalty to the decisions of the conference. The conference unanimously decided that the national executive for the current year should have its seat in Auckland, and Mr. Solomon, the organiser, and Mr. Sutherland, the secretary of the .Auckland Union, were appointed national president and secretary-treas-urer respectively. Their appointment was moved and seconded by the Wellington and Christehurch representatives, and unanimously approved by the rest of the delegates. : The local secretary was instructed to supply to the Minister of Labour and the Pres? copies of the following resolution:—■

"That this conference of Labourers' Unions views with grave alarm the number of unemployed workers which are in evidence, at a time of the year which is normally regarded as its busiest season. It considers that this state of the labour market has been brought about chiefly by the actioa of the Government in continuing its immigration policy, regardless of the fact that there are thousands of unemployed already in this Dominion for whom neither work nor homes can bo found We therefore submit that the Government should cease bringing immigrants into the Dominion until such time as work can be procured and a sufficient number of homes found for those who are already here. We further consider it to be the moral duty of the Government to pro vide, work for all honest workmen who are out of employment, at ruling award rates." It was pointed out by delegates that those who are responsible for the immigration policy failed to carry out their moral obligations in respect to nominated immigrants. All the secretaries present, who were intimately acquainted with the situation, attested to the fact that many of the nominated immigrants have become, and are becoming, a charge on the State.