THE PARLIAMENT OF LABOUR.

North Otago Times, 13 January 1906, Page 3

THE PARLIAMENT OF LABOUR.

Piiiiedin, January 12. >: :a special>meeting' of the Otago Ein- -. to. .consider the ftSftV^ucitiohfot ; oi-; ift .propdscd^lißbor..Parliament, the- follow&v■ i:^iiig^tesolutidii-^wis;passed: : -" That as Premier hasS-ightircd his statement ;s^^: to|ihe Employers ; of- the colony that .he ' ' recognised its industries: hall as much to carry as they could' bear, and lias set aside. the Arbitration : Act by ignoring "■ the carefully considered --judgment of the Court in the industrial disputes in West' land, affecting Hie coal and gold mining industries, & judgment '■ given alter a most painstaking inquiry, and has also ignored iti "recommendations of the Labor Bills ..Committa* of both Houses,, together with the .evidence-'- tendered before these tribunals relating to the matter by passing section d ot the Mining Act , 'Amendment. Act, 1905, .this union of cm-jiloycrs-is'" of opinion that no good purport.can be served by the conference proposed to be held in Chrislchurch next month, and declines to send any representation to it." The secretary of the Association,; in a letter to the Labor Department, enlarges on the points iu the resolution, and with respect to the bank to bank clause, denies that it was demanded by the workers, and points as proof to the fact that at the Arbitration Court proceedings the Granily Creek Union, numbering 500 members, alter careful consideration, withdrew from the proceedings. Tim secretary concludes : "1 am instructed-to say, and to say with all sincerity, that if the bona fide werters make any approaches or show a willingness to meet the employers in the way ol do ng something to aid our languishing industries, .the Otago Employers Association will not only meet them gladly, but assist? them in every .way to. bring about better results than arc obtainable under the present conditions. The proposed conference is, in the opinion of the Otago Association, doomed to failure; that there is, in fact, no possibility of any satisfactory results arising under the conditions which have been laid down in connection with it."-