GENERAL LABORERS CONFERENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LX, Issue LX, 29 December 1910, Page 5

GENERAL LABORERS CONFERENCE.

HIGHER WAGES WANTED. BY TELEGRAPH— PRESS -ISSOCIiTION. WELLINGTON, Dec. 28. The whole of the afternoon sitting at the general laborers' conference was devoted to the discussion of new claims. The general expression of the delegates was that it was useless to expect anything from the Arbitration Court, in view of the statements of the President of the Court,- in the Gisborne painters' case, Wellington cooks' and waiters' and other cases, tht- statement Being in effect that the Court was not prepared to give any further concessions in wages at the present time. The conference came 1 to the conclusion that the union should approach the employers with a request for better working terms. At the present time the minimum pay is Is l£d an hour in Wellington and Is an hour in the country districts. The conference decided to ask for a minimum of Is 3d an hour all round, both in town and country. In ~ regard to local bodies it was decided to make the question of improved conditions for employees a test question at the municipal elections. If local bodies are not prepare dto meet the ynion in a spirit of conciliation in regard to more favorable conditions, and if % municipalities will not submit, the unions m each of the districts concerned wi'l be asked to support the laborers in their demands for better terms from aspiring municipal candidates. The Arbitration Court was the last alternative. The question of striking was also considered, but it was feared that at the present time laborers were not sufficiently organised to carry a strike through with beneficial results. The conference is not open to the Press.