WORK AND WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11556, 18 April 1898, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES.

THE LABOUR CONFERENCE. [From Oitr Cobbestojsdknt.3 WELLINGTON, Aekh. 16. Mr Billcliffe, in supporting the independent Labour Party resolution airthe Trades Conference yesterday, said that the delegates -would not seriously consider the proposal if they thought that it would be Skely to bring the Opposition into power. He believed that if the Ministry had left the choice of candidates to the people they would have had fewer Opposition menfibera and more Labour members in the House. In concluding an article on the subject of the resolution, the Times this mcnring says;—“Discipline and pertinacity and are needed most outsidePariiament. They will, if observed there, speedily he reflected inside it. The conference in trying to enforce themin the House of Representatives, and doing nothing to organise the constituencies, is like a man who climbs up a tree to-cntrit down.” The Trades and Labour Council resolved that casual hands employedbythe Government should be paid the Union rate recognised by the district in which they are-em-ployed; that the Undesirable Immigrants Bill should be struck off the Order Paper, the conference having dealt with tfae matfcer in another way. It was resolved that it should bo a recommendation to the various councils to consider the federation of the labour bodies on similar lines to those existing in New South Wales, a levy to be made on members for the expense. It was decided that conferences should be held alternatively in the North and Sooth Islands, and that the next conferenceshooid be held in Christchurch. Ifc-was resolved to forward the conference suggestions to the Premier by letter. The -conference » now practically closed.