BUILDERS’ FEDERATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5728, 25 October 1905, Page 5

BUILDERS’ FEDERATION.

AIEETING AT TIMARU. PRESS ASSOCIATION. TIMARU, October 24. The sixth annual meeting of tho Federal Council of tho Builders’ Association opened hero to-day. Delegates were present from all parts of the colony. Air W. Jacques (Christchurch), president of trie council, presided. Tho annual report mentioned that North Otago, with a membership of thirty-throe, had joined during tho year, and Waikato had applied, for affiliation. Tho rules of the Federation had been registered under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1902. The drawing up ot conditions of contract had been the most important work of tho year. Tho consideration of the conditions in a conference with architects would ho the most important work of tho meeting.

Considerable discussion took place"vregarding tho bearing of Arbitration Court awards and industrial agreements on the building trade. On tho motion of Air England (Christchurch) it was resolved to recommend that no agreements bo made between associations and unions except under a direct award of tho Arbitration Court. It was also resolved that united action should bo taken by affiliated associations in regard to tho election of persons to represent them before tho Arbitration Court. Tho council adopted a clause in tho Auckland engineers’ award ro tho dismissal of apprentices. It was resolved that tho executive should appoint a legal adviser to whom intricate questions might ho submitted before action was taken.

Tho conference with representative architects ro conditions of contract is to bo bold to-morrow morning.