FULL DELEGATION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20185, 1 March 1940, Page 2

FULL DELEGATION

GENEVA LABOUR TALK DOMINION INTENTION URGENCY IN WAR AID IN PEACE TERMS 1 (Per Press Association.) [ WELLINGTON, this day. The intention of the Government to send a full New Zealand delegation . to this year’s conference of the interi national labour organisation in Geneva ■ was announced last night by the Min- - ister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb. . The delegation is to consist of re- ; presentatives of the Government, i workers and employers. Central or- ; ganisr.tions of workers and employers will shortly be asked to make nominations for delegates to represent them. “The twenty-sixth session of the conference of the international labour organisation has been convened for June 5.” said Mr. Webb. “This' is pursuant to the desire expressed by the Governments which were last year asked for an expression of their attitude in the event of the occurrence of an armed conflict. “Moreover, more than 40 States, members of the organisation, 20 of which are actually European, are taking no part in the hostilities and are still in a state of relative peace. In the belligerent and mobilised countries the war has increased the importance and urgency of labour questions and added new ones to them. Policy Approved “The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Labour recently made statements on the cooperation of the British Government with the international labour organisation and approved of a decision by the governing body, at its meeting in February, 1939, that, in the event of war, it should attempt to function as completely and efficiently as possible. “The international labour organisation has made a preliminary survey in order to adapt its work to the new condition arising out t of the war and this survey demonstrates the number and complexity of social ques- ; tions caused by the war and mobil- 1 isation. The organisation is also pre- : paring objective information on labour 1 problems to provide the statesmen who will bear the responsibility of building a new and lasting world order with the full knowledge that they will J need.” ' Mr. Webb said that the Government i felt New Zealand would be shirking c its duty if it failed to.play its part in the solution of those problems. t