LABOUR CONVENTION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 4 July 1921, Page 5

LABOUR CONVENTION

RATIFIED BY COMMONS

8Y CABLB-PEESB ASSOOIATION—COPYEIGHr 1 LONDON, July 2.

The House of Commons ratified the Washington international labour convention, except a recommendation relating to maternity.

!Dr Macnamara pointed out that c provisions relating t o maternity in England were in advance of those in other countries and the Government felt it would not ibe justified in scrapping the existing machinery. T-5e Government also could not accept a recommendation in regard to hours or i labour, which cut across the voluntary agreement with the railway workers.

Mr Austen Chamberlain said America's abstention from the convention was an insuperable barrier against ith© hope that th^ -world would . advance equally in securing improvement in industrial conditions.; The Government ' was prepared to participate in a special 1 conference to secure a more elastic con- ' vention. He repudiated the idea that | ijny section <would render futile the League of Nations' Labour drganisa- ' tion. -