BACK FROM GENEVA

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 49, 26 August 1938, Page 7

BACK FROM GENEVA

MR. J. THORN, M.P.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, August 25. The strong and growing influence of the United States and Latin-American countries in the International Labour Organisation particularly impressed Mr. J. Thorn, M.P. for Thames, who returned from London by the Rangitane tonight after representing the New Zealand Government at the annual conference at Geneva. The conference was a most interesting experience, said Mr. Thorn in an interview. The vitality of the organisation was evident from the fact that no fewer than 400 delegates and advisers representing 50 nations took part this year, the attendance almost equalling the record set in 1937. This was the more remarkable in view of the alarming situation in Europe and the war in the East. Incidentally, it was curious to note that both China and Japan sent delegations. This was apparently an admission that whatever divisions might arise out of political considerations, uniformity in industrial coaiditions on an international scale was ciasirable. Among the delegates were nine Ministers of Labour, and notable contributions to the debates were made by Ministers from Great Britain, tha United States, France, and Republican Spain. An outstanding ieature of the conference was the larjge representation of the States of INBorth and South America. The conference adopted only ona convention. This dealt with statistics of wages and hours, an international compilation of which was felt to be essential to .the preparation of policies of economic improvement. The adoption of this convention was unanimous. A great deal of work was also done in other directions. Mr. Thorn, who is accompanied by Mrs. Thorn, was met aboard the liner by Mr. W. J. Shanly, private secretary to the Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong.