TRADES COUNCILS’ CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1523, 28 February 1901, Page 61

TRADES COUNCILS’ CONFERENCE.

MOTIONS ON THE ODDER PAPER. The following motions appear on the order paper prejiared for the annual conference of Trades Councils, which will take place this year at Dunedin during Easter week : 1. That the Factories Act be amended to provide that the hours of labour for females and boys be not more than eight hours for five days and four hours on Saturday, and that permits for overtime on Saturdays be abolished. 2. That the Act be amended to provide for a compulsory weekly half-holiday for adult workers. 3. That all workers in factories be brought under the provisions of the Factories Act as regards overtime and hours. 4. That diing-rooms be provided for male adults in factories where more than six are employed. 5. Master and Apprentice Bill making provision only for the indenturing of all apprentices.

6. That the conference urge upon the Government the nationalisation of the whole of the mineral wealth of the colony : also that it immediately take- over the" working of the coalmines of the colony. 1 . , 7. That all steam-engine drivers be tificated8. That the Government be urged to establish Government tailoring, saddlery and boot manufacturing workshops m one of the chief centres of the colony tor the manufacture of articles required for its own services. . 9. That second-hand ..ealers be licensed, so as to assist the police in tracing stolen goods, etc. . , 10. That the Rating on Ummpioved Values Act be made mandatory ■ also that the provisions of the Act be appnca^ll. t TbaV in cases where persons are performing underground work for a period of ten years, the age limit for quanthe Old Age Pensions Act he reduced to sixty years 19 That the amount of pensions Udder"” the Act he increased to 10s per ' That the conference re-affirm the principle of making the old age pension universal. 14. That the Government be urged to make an issue of inconvertible paper money as a first step towards nationalisation of the banking system, and a proper regulation of interest. 15. That the conference urge on the Government the necessity of introducing a. Bill, on the lines of the Hon W. P. Reeves’s Bill of 1895. so as to enable the Department of Labour to collect reliable statistics for its reports. 16. That the Government- be urged to

grant labour organisations direct representation on Harbour Boards. 17. That thei Government be urged to introduce the referendum, with initiative in the hands of the people. 18. That the Government be urged to introduce a Bill providing for a referendum of the people on the question of the abolition of the Upper House. 19. That the Shipping and Seamen’s Act, of 1890, be so amended as to provide that seamen who come under the Act shall receive the benefits provided for in the Act, whether the articles of agreement have expired or otherwise. 20. That it be a recommendation to the Government to amend Clause 10 of the Shipping and Seamen’s Act Amendment Act, 1894, by striking out the words '“if the seaman shall make a statutory declaration that he is entitled to ship/’ and inserting in lieu thereof “that a seaman shall satisfy the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine that he is entitled to ship.” 21. That the various Shipping and Seamen’s Acts be consolidated and brought up to date. 22. That the Government be urged to grant special facilities to City and County Councils, in respect to both lands and money towards the establishment of State farms to be worked under local government control. 23. That the Sunday Labour in Mines Prevention Bill be amended by providing that before permits for more than one Sunday can be issued by the Inspectors of Mines, at least fourteen days’ notice shal be given of application in one or more local papers of the intention of so working, and the public given an opportunity to object to the issue of such permits; and in no case shall a permit be issued for the purpose of allowing any ore-orushing mill to be worked on Sunday. 24. That Inspectors be appointed im-

der the C. and A. Act to see that agreements and awards arc properly carried out. 25. With a view to making it unnecessary to waste the time of "our boys in State schools with military drill, that the Government be urged to make provision for a thorough system of colonial defence by means or rifle clubs and rifle ranges in every district in the colony, the clubs to be open to all men abov e the age of seventeen. 26. That the Government be urged to largely increase the appropriation for technical education to provide sufficient buildings and instructors so as to extend the advantages of the system to the smaller centres of population. 27. That the Government be ed to see that proper accommodation ladders are provided in the holds of \ essels and hulks for workmen to come up and go down in safety. 28.. That the Government be urged to appoint Inspectors to examine all gear blocks, and running gear on board hulks at least, once in every six months. 29. That the Government be urged to see that proper ventilation is provide L m ships’ holds, and that naked lights be prohibited where -workmen are eniidoved in ships’ or hulks’ holds. , " 30. That the Municipal Councils .if the colony be urged to press forward the work of municipalising such various public conveniences as trams, gas, electric lighting, baths and washhouses, kcture halls, places of amusement ; also that they undertake the building of workmen’s dwellings. ~ 31.. That Inspectors of scaffolding be appointed, so as to ensure safety of life and limb to workmen engaged ‘in the construction of new buildings.