STONEMASONS’ CONFERENCE

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15900, 11 April 1912, Page 5

STONEMASONS’ CONFERENCE

HELD IX CHRISTCHURCH. The delegates to the Stonemasons’ Conference, held: in Christchurch on Saturday and Monday last, confined themselves principally to questions directly affeotiug their own particular trado. The only proposal of a general character, a motion favouring the Mills unity scheme, was defeated. The Conciliation and Arbitration Act was reviewed and various amendments were suggested, the most important being a proposal to alter the constitution of the Court. It was suggested that clause 06 of the Act of 1908 should be deleted, and that a clause should bo inserted providing that in the event of the respective parties to a dispute before a Council of Conciliation failing to agree on all points, the parties should each appoint a representative to sit with the ,) udge of the Arbitration Court. Such representatives, together with the Judge, would form the Court, but the representatives must be, or have been, actually engaged or employed either as an employer or as a. worker in the industry in connection with which the dispute had arisen. Members contended that it wns unfair to expect the members of the Court to understand all the details affecting each trado dispute submitted to them. Tho Court ought to be oomprised of experts in the industry in which the dispute had arisen, in addition to the Judge or chairman. The suggestion was adopted. Another important amendment suggested was the amending of clause 35 of the 1908 Act in tho direction of giving power to a Council of Conciliation to order that all books, papers, or documents which might tend to show a true statement of profits and losses should be submitted to the Conciliation Commissioner, who, with a competent auditor, could examine them.

A proposal submitted by tho Christ‘churcli Union that an endeavour should be made to form standing committees of unions in tho building trado in each centre in the dominion w’as agreed to, but a proposal that the forty-four hours now constituting tho week’s work should bo worked in live days, was dofoated.

The custom amongst some contractors of having dressed stone built on other than its natural bed, was discussed. It was decided that the. New Zealand architects should bo communicated with in connection with the matter and that every union should bo asked to take action where such a thing was done, as it was generally against the terms of the contract. An Auckland remit, “ That the conference urges the Government to insert in all future contracts for Government buildings a clause absolutely forbidding sub-contracting of masonry work, ns wo aro convinced sub-contracting is detrimental to our trade,” was carried. It was decided that tho request should be forwarded to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Works, and that all unions should be asked to urge tho local bodies in their respective distriots to insert a provision forbidding subcontracting of masonry-work in the specifications of all future contracts. It was decided to ask the Minister of Railways to amend the present rates charged for the conveyance of workers’ tools, especially when accompanied by tho worker himself. It was also decided that the request should be forwarded to all members of tho House of Representatives.

Information was laid before tho conference of the probability of very serious industrial trouble in connection with tho trade in Dunedin. It was decided that, failing an early settlement, tho president of' the conference (tho Hon J. Barr) should proceed to Dunedin and advise and assist the Union there.

It was decided that the seat of tho executive for the ensuing year should bo in Wellington and tljat tho next conforenco should he held there. The visiting delegates were entertained at a smoko concert on Saturday evening, when a most cnjoyablo evening- was spent.