PROPOSED MINERS' FEDERATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13289, 22 September 1906, Page 5

PROPOSED MINERS' FEDERATION.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER FOR

LABOUR

fBT TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Friday. A deputation representing the Westland Miners' Association, waited on the Minister for Labour this evening, accompanied by Messrs. Colvin, Seddon, and Poland, to explain the steps that were being taken to form a miners' federation that would be the largest body of organised labour in the State. They intended holding an annual conference of their own, and asked the Government to pay the travelling expenses of delegates.

The Minister said the proposal was a new one, and there were obvious objections to it. If the concession was granted to miners what guarantee was there that other branches of labour would not secede from trades conference and ask the same concession? The concession granted to the trades conference was granted to the mass of organised labour throughout the State. Each district sent three delegates, and the Government could not bo called upon to pay travelling expenses for more than 21 delegates.

A member of the deputation said the miners proposed having five delegates from Otago, live from Westland, and five from Auckland. Canterbury could be put in with Westland.

The Minister: The West Coast Trades Council would still want to send three delegate* to the Trades Conference. Mr. Belts: We would forego that. The Minister: What about the Greymouth Wharf Labourers' Union?

Mr. Belts: We don't propose to carry on the Trades and Labour Council in Westland.

The Minister said the proposal was a dangerous one, but he would consider a written statement mid send forward a, definite reply. There was a Gumdiggers' Association in Auckland working in the same direction.