LABOUR CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 9107, 2 October 1890, Page 2

LABOUR CONFERENCE.

THE FIRST SITTING. At 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon 25 gentlemen, who have been appointed by various labour bodies to represent them on the Conference called by the Goveromeant, on the instruction of the House, with a view to a settlement of the present difficulty, attended at the Parliamentary Buildings. The advertisement conven ng the Conference invited delegates to attend at the Joint Committee room, and thither accordingly they wended their way. Following is a list of the delegates Mi D. P. Fisher, Mr P. Brown, and Mr R. Seymour, Wharf Labourers* Union; Capt. Uighmau and Mr Cornish,Marine Offioera'AsBooiaticn; Mr J. Lomas and Mr G. A. Aneelf, Amalgamated Miners and Labourers' Association; Mr T. Mills and Mr F. C. Millar, New Zealand Typographical Association; Mr H. C. Jones, Mr Myers, Mr Hutchison, Mr Mudge, Mr Avery, Mr R. P. Johnson, and Mr Graham, Wellington Trades and Labour Conned ; Mr Winter, Mr Hoban, and Mr Divines, Railway Servants’ Society; Mr Parker and Mr Sandford, Canterbury Trades and Labour Council; Mr Williams and Mr Dobson, New Zealand Federated Wbarf Carters; MrLeea and Mr Browett, Wellington Operative Bootmakers' Union; Mr J. A. Millar, Federated Seamen’s Union of New Zealand, Federated Cooks aud Stewards’ Union, and Auckland Trades and Labour Council. (Mr Hoban was the only absentee, being on the s.e. Wanakn, on his way to Wellington.) Mr Waldegrave, private secretary to the Minister of Justice, attended to act as secretary. When the delegates had taken their seats, Mr D. P. Fisher asked whether any replies bad been received from “the other side.” Mr Waldegrave said the Premier had sent out a number of invitations. Tbe Hon George McLean had accepted, on behalf of tbe Union and other companies. Mr Fisher ; Ho only 1 Mr Waldegrave: Ihm not aware of any others. Mr Fisher : Can you give us an idea of the names of those you have invited to be present ? Mr Waldegrave : I have not got a list with me, bat I can obtain it easily enough and briog.it to-morrow. Mr Winter: I should like to ask whether the Railway Commissioners have been invited. Mr Waldegrave : I could not say. Mr J. A. Miller: I presume, when the other side comes. Sir Barry will bo here to explain what he has called us here for? Mr Waldegrave : I could not say. Mr Millar : We are hereby his invitation. Mr Waldegrave : Probably you know a good deal more of his intentions than I do. Mr Millar : Certainly ve know that be baa invited us to be here, but we expected him to be here to explain the purport of the business. We are quite in tbe dark. Mr R. P. Johnson said it would scarcely be a conference unless both interests were represented. Mr Mills suggested that, having assembled, they should now adjourn to await developments, and that tbe other eide should choose a time. Mr Waldegrave said, in reply to Mr J. A. Miliar, that be bad no doubt a list of: the invitations could be furnished, and the replies. He handed to Mr Millar a Hat of those who had accepted. Mr Millar said the only name on the list was that of the Hon George McLean, and there was nothing said as to what that gentleman represented. He might represent the coat companies or amalgamated shipping companies, or only the Union Company. There was no mention of the Commissioners. Mr Winter: Tbe question is whether they have been invited. ’Mr Elvioea : I don’t see any nse in Sir Harry Atkinson inviting tbe Railway Servants’ Society if he has not invited the Commissioners. Mr Fisher asked whether the meeting could request Mr Waldegrave to invite the Commissioners, on their authority. Mr Waldegrave: If the meeting authorised me to extend an invitation to them, of course I should carry it out. Mr Winter: I think it should come from tbe Government. Can a message be conveyed to him that in case the Commissioners have not been invited he is asked to invite them ? Mr Waldegrave : Yes. Mr Winter: And that could bo done without any special resolution? Mr Waldegrave; Ob, yes.. A discussion ensued as to what hour the tho meeting should adjourn till," iu order that lbs Hon Mr MjLean (who was also a passenger by the vVanaka) might be pre**ll, F. Millar remarked that it was not Mr McLean’s fault that ho was not present. Mr Johnson: No, the service isn’t running as regularly as it used to, Mr F. Millar suggested that they should pass a resolution to the effect that they expected a member of the Government to ho there to receive them, seeing they were there at tbe Government’s invitation,

Mr Meyer asked whether Mr Waldegrave was there representing the I’.ernier. Mr Waldcgrave said no, he was there to take minutes and do. what the Conference desired. The question was raised whether a chairman should be appointed, and Mr Millar offered to hand to Mr Waldegrave the names of three persons suggested by the labour delegates for that office. Mr Waldegrave thought it would bo better to leave the matter over until next day. Captain Higbmau ashed whether the meeting was agreed as to the press representatives being present. (A voice: “ The reptile press?”)—Laughter.—That question was also allowed to stand over. It was then decided that tbo delegates should meet again at 10 o'clock this morning, Mr Waldegrave promised to supply at that hour a Hat of tho employers who had been invited to take part in the Conference. This ended the meeting.

Rumours wore current yesterday that some of tbo Labour Delegates believed an arrangement would be come to with tho Union Company. So far as can be ascertained tho foundation for this rnmour is a feeling that the Union Company will bo prepared to give way a little, and that in that case a compromise might be arranged on the basis of the men now on the steamers working oat their agreements, and the Unlonisto being taken back as rapidly as possible, The Premier will not be present at tho Conference, nor will the Government be represented at it. The s.s. Wahaka, among whose passengers wore the Hon, George McLean and Mr Hoban, arrived late yesterday afternoon.