TRADES COUNCIL CONFERENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4289, 23 February 1901, Page 5

TRADES COUNCIL CONFERENCE

PEESS ASSOCIATION. GREYMOUTH, February 22. ’ The Trades and Labour Council Cou- • fereuce decided to take measures to present a petition to Parliament nest session to have an'Eight Hours BilT passed ‘ m accordance with the promise of tho ’ Government. It was resolved that tha Government should be urged to still further reduce the duties on the necessaries of life, and correspondingly increase the laud tax. Strong exception was taken to Clause 99 of tho Conciliation and Arbitration Act, such clause coming into conflict with Clause 98 of the same Act. Under Clause 99 great hardship is inflicted on unions in scattered districts, inasmuch as it is almost; impossible to bring in matters in dispute for consideration owing to an absolute majority of all the members of tho imions being required to vote. It was resolved, respecting the railway haulage of coal, to call upon the Government to reduce the haulage rates to one common rate for the district, irrespective of distance. In respect to tho Mining Act, it was .resolved to urge tha Government that Clause 69 of tho Coal Mines Act should be inserted in the Mining Act, so as to provide for the relief of miners and their families in case of sickness or accident, by means of a small royalty on every ounce of gold. Regarding the ventilation of mines, tho Council condemned the use of furnaces for ventilation, and urged the substitution of fans for ventilation purposes. It was resolved to urge the Government to reduce the pension age for miners to sixty years, provided such miners had been working underground for not less than ten years, and also to make '■oho pension universal. It was resolved to urge the Government to pass a Referendum Bill, with the initiative in the hands of tho people. The Council expressed its satisfaction with tho Government for passing the Workers’ Compensation for Accident Bill, and expressed the hope that it would shortly be brought into force.. The conference urged that the provisions of the Land for Settlements Act should bo extended so as to procure more land lor workmen s homes in the vicinity of large centres.