LABOUR AND THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4565, 17 January 1902, Page 7

LABOUR AND THE WAR

THE 'J HADES COUNCIL’S RESOLUTION. ANOTHER WARM -MEETING. Before proceeding with the business I of tho adjourned meeting of tho Trades Council last evening, the president, Mr Yv. Naughton, made a statement in reference to las position in regard to las connection with the anti-war resolution recently passed by the Council. He resigned his position of president, said air Naughton, in order to justify the opinions cf the majority of the members of tho Council and of tho workers generally. He had been accused of treating tho Council with discourtesy, but what sort of discourtesy was it to that, of men voting contrary to. the views held by the unions they represented? Since their last meeting tho sHongest supporters of the resolution had been ordered to support the rescinding of it. Therefore ho was perfectly justified in his action, seeing that by this action it was proved that the resolution had boon carried by a minority. Mr Naughton defended his action iu sending Ins resignation direct to the press. If ho had allowed, he said, his resignation to come up in tho usual course, he would have had to wait for three weeks before it could have been made public, whereas, in tho meantime, the opinion Oi a minority would have gone forth to the world as the true opinion of the CounA motion was carried unanimously that representatives of the press be admitted to the meeting. _ Immediately on the chairman notifying that tho resolutions to rescind the pro-Boer resolution and to expunge the resolution from the minuto-book would bo taken before further business, two delegates (Messrs W. H. Hampton and J. Brown) brought forward a motion objecting to tho notice iu regard to tho rescinding motion having been advertised and not notified by circular. The mover of the first motion, Mr W. H Westbrook, proceeded to support Ins resolution. He expressed the opinion that when the history of the war came to be written it. would be found to be the most humane war in history. The mover of the expunging resolution here asked leave to drop his motion, and suggested that the two resolutions be taken together. Considerable time was lost in a discussion on the subject. The chairman, Mr W 7. Naughton, remarked that it would be just as well to take tho resolutions separately. The resolution was a disgraceful one, and should not be on the minute-book. Mr R. E. Vauey objected strongly to the remarks of the president. It was disgraceful for him to make such remarks. Mr Naughton was forgetting the position ho occupied. The speaker was ordered to sit down by the chairman. Mr Yv. H. Wagstaff: The motion was not a disgraceful thing. It was not right for the president to make such a statement. " , . A delegate: “He has consulted the Premier.” The motion to take tho two motions together was carried. Mr Hampton managed to have another slap at “Rhodes and Chamberlain” by proposing a resolution “That meetings of unions bo called in order to get expressions of opinion from their members.” “Rhodes,” the speaker said, “wanted to introduce-Kaffirs and other blacks, iu order to bring down tho wages of workers. He wanted to import an unlimited number of Chinese, Hindoos and other races to the Transvaal, and to squash the white man. They wanted to raise their dividends by” —(“Time-up” stopped a fervid speech.) Mx - Brown seconded the • motion. Trade-unionists, he said, failed to gra4>pie with the situation. They had failed to see the trail of the capitalist right through the miserable business in South Africa, No attention had been paid to the little South African Republics until the capitalist got his work in. Mr Vaney rose to support the motion, but 'was ruled out of order, under the rule of tho Council allowing only two delegates to speak in one direction consecutively. A member having briefly opposed the motion, Mr Wagstaff supported it. This speaker said he would oppose tho war till it was proved to him to be a national one. He had supported the original anti-war resolution, and Ids union at a late meeting supported him in his action. Mr Yaney also supported the motion. Mr John Bums, the great -labour leader, was a pro-Boer, a. man whom they had congratulated when. he won his last election campaign. The motion to ascertain the opinion of members of labour unions was lost by 23 to 9. Mr Brown moved tq endorse the proBoer resolution, but the president ruled the motion out of order. Mr Hampton moved that the word “rescind” be deleted from the principal resolution. He declared that the Outlanders did not want any vote. If they had got it they would have sold it to the highest bidder—Rhodes and Co. Mr Brown seconded the amendment. It was not, he said, in the interest of the colony that the Eighth Contingent should be sent away. They knew hundreds of men had been “sacked” throughout the colony, because tho Government was, short of funds. The* settlers in the back blocks wanted roads and bridges, and the money which should go to carry out these necessary works was being spent to assist this “hideous, unholy and unjust war.” The motion was lost by a largo majority. Mr Hampton then moved that the question be held over for six months, so that - the Council would have an opportunity of coming to an intelligent opinion on the subect. The word “intelligent” was objected to, as being a reflection on-the Council, and, Mr Hampton withdrew the word, and proceeded to speak to his motion. He read some more pro-Boor newspaper statements. Mr J. Connolly asked if there was any limit to the number of amendments. Ho was told that there was not. On the amendment (that the debate be adjourned for six months) being put, it was lost. Mr Hampton brought forward several amendments, each of which was ruled out of order. At this Mr Hampton cast reflections on the chairman’s ruling, and a motion was proposed that Mr Hampton bo excluded from tho meeting. An amendment was moved to report him to his union, and considerable discussion took place on tbo two motions. Eventually tiie amendment was put and lost. An amendment in reference to the ruling of the chair was lost. The motion that Mr Hampton b<s excluded from the mooting—was carried by 16 to 10. After further debate, the motion—- “ That the pro-Boer resolution passed at, a previous meeting he- rescinded, and that it be expunged from the records or j the Council”—was carried by 10 to 3. )