LABOUR MATTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11771, 28 September 1901, Page 5

LABOUR MATTERS.

DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION ACT. [BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION,] Wellington, Friday.

A deputation representing the executive of the Wellington Trades Council (which it was explained was acting as executive for the Trades Councils 01 the colony for this year) waited on the Premier to-night, in regard to labour matters.

Mr. W. Naughton, the president, said, with regard to the proposal that trade unions should be registered as industrial unions, it was held that there was no necessity for that, inasmuch as all trade unions had been registered under the Act of 1878. Moreover, it would also result in the multiplying of unions. They objected to the proposed amendment to clause 86, in the direction of making it possible for a judge to limit an award to a portion of a district. The award should be made to apply to the whole district, otherwise it might work unjustly. They asked that the Judge of the Arbitration Court should be empowered to over-ride an industrial agreement, In the millers' case in the South the Judge had stated that he would have awarded superior conditions had it nob been for the existence of an industrial agreement. Mr. Naughton objected to certain resolutions recently passed by the Wellington Employers' Association, and said that the suggestion that each side should appoint two delegates would not be practicable, esp dally as representatives of the workmen would be " marked' by their employers. Mr. Cooper (secretary of the Trades Council) said it had been complained that the unions were keeping the colony in a state of industrial strife, but there' would be no finality until they got what they wanted, namely, a week of 44 hours. The Premier, in reply to a suggestion that trade unions should be included in amending legislation with regard to industrial unions, said that this had been opposed by the employers, and it was now opposed by the Trades Council. He had gone into the matter, however, and it had been submitted to him that unless this were done there would be unions outside the industrial unions which would not be bound by awards. He said he thought there was power, if the Judge of the Arbitration Court did not do so, for the Governor to declare outside workers to be related to a particular industry, and the award would then apply. However, he would have to look carefully into this matter before expressing any opinion. As to the claim that an award should apply to the whole of a district, this was the law at present, and it would be better to keep it that way. With regard to the application that the Judge of the Arbitration Court should have power to override industrial agreements, this was a big question. Such a proceeding would be against equity, and it would have to be a very extreme case in which that should work. Speaking of the point raised in regard to the " marked" men, Mr. Seddon said ho had noticed that employers had been guilty in that respect. He condemned the action of such employers, and said it caused him in some cases to step in where men had suffered in this way, and oilier conditions being equal, to give them Government employment where it offered. He was not satisfied with the present constitution of the Conciliation Board, and considered that there was room for improvement. He was inclined to think that if there were trained men to take evidence, it would be preferable. in conclusion, he said the colony was in. a better position than any other part of the British Empire, so far as the conditions of labour were concerned. The conditions of both workers and employers had improved, that of the latter in a greater proportion if anything. He looked forward next year to a period of industrial peace.