LABOUR CONFERENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8782, 11 July 1914, Page 11

LABOUR CONFERENCE

BIBLE IN SCHOOLS DRAWING UP THE CONSTITUTION. The United Federation of Labour Conference continued its deliberations yesterday. The official report is as under : A resolution was passed protesting against “ Any proposal to submit the question of the Bible in schools to a referendum,” as the conference regards “religious beliefs as a subject outside the control of any majority.” Delegates were appointed to wait on the Prime Minister with reference to this subject, and on the Minister for Justice to request the release of strike prisoners. When the conference resumed after the luncheon adjournment the remainder of the constitution was considered. The following clauses were adopted: STRIKES. Trade or industrial unions shall have complete local sell-government, hut under no circumstances shall they havo the power to take any such step involving any other organisation in the federation. No union shall strike without first placing the matter unreservedly in the hands of the council. No council shall involve the national organisation in any strike without first placing the matter unreservedly in the hands of the national executive. Any union or district council violating the provisions heroin contained shall not receive the support of the United Federation, and shall be immediately suspended. Any district council or union so .suspended shall have the right of appeal to the annual conference, which body shall decide the penalty to bo inflicted. The decision of the conference to be final. Notwithstanding anything contained in this clause, any, union will have the right, in the event of human life being endangered, to take such action as its members may doem necessary. After the dispute has been dealt with by the national executive, and no settlement arrived at, any union called upon to cease work in support of a strike shall, if it so desires, have the right to first take a ballot on the question. FINANCIAL.

District councils shall pay an annual affiliation of ‘£l for each affiliated union to the centnl executive, together with not less than threepence per member per year capitation fee. Trad© or industrial unions shall pay an afliliation feo of £2 per year, together with not less than Is per member per year capitation fe© to the district council. In cases where a union’s membership consists of both male and female workers, such union shall ho liable for half the above capitation in respect to such female workers. J CONGRESS.

An open congress of all bona fide trade and industrial unions in Now Zeialand, affiliated or noji-affiliated, shall be held annually to be convened by the United Federation of Labour executive. Two or more unions may combine for the purpose of sending a delegate to the annual congress -or conference; under such circumstances, however, such a delegate shall bo entitled to but one vote. At the conclusion of the open copgress a conference of delegates comprising unions', in the United Federation of Labour g WI be held to discuss matters relative to the organisation as a whole. Conference shall he tho supreme authority in all matters affecting the organisation, and all amendments or proposals carried by a of delegates shall he embodied m the constitution. It shall he the duty of conference to give special consideration to all recommendations agreed to by the open congress. Representation at the open congress and the annual conference shall he as • follows: —For unions of 60 members or less, one delegate; 50 to 100, two delegates; 100 and upwards, three delegates. Voting on all questions shall he on the basis of one delegate one vote. . The national executive shall call the open congress during the month of July in each year. All remits to be in the hands of the national secretary at least two months prior to tho congress. The agenda paper for the congress shall be submitted to the organisations at least one month prior to July. All unions and district councils to he invited to send remits to the congress, provided that no organisation be permitted to send more than three remits. Any district council forwarding remits to be permitted to send one representative to congress. OFFICERS OF DISTRICT COUNCILS. The officers of district councils shall be elected annually, and shall be as follow: President, . vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and members of executive (five), who shall be elected by and from the affiliated bodies; five to form a quorum. , CREDENTIALS. No person shall be permitted to speak for, in the name of, or on behalf of this organisation unless they are first given credentials to do so; such credentials to be issued only by the national executive or by the district councils. The organisation will not hold itself responsible for tho_ utterances ot persons not so authorised, ’.and tho national executive reserves the right to recall the credentials of any person, which the executive may consider have been abused. It was resolved that the following salaries be paid per annum:—President, £ls, secretary-treasurer, £SO. It was decided that nominations for the position of officers be called for during the month of November, 1914, and that the election take place as soon as possible thereafter by plebiscite ; officers to assume their duties at the end of the six months. PROVISIONAL OFFICERS.

Nominations for provisional officers were then taken as follows: —President, D. G. Sulliven (Canterbury), 58 votes, elected; T. Long (Auckland), 20 votes; vice-president, A. Rosser (Auckland 38 votes, J. Dowgray (West Coast) 23 votes; H. T. Armstrong (West Coast) 19 votes; secretary-trea-surer, Mark Fagan (Inangahua Miners), 59 votes (elected); J. Read (Wellington), 20 votes. A second ballot was necessary for the vice-presi-dency, the result being: Rosser 43 votes (elected), Dowgray 33 votes. Committee: Wesley Richards (Auckland), W. E. Parry North), M. Laracy (Wellington), J. Alsweiter (Southland), W. McAllen (Otago), F'. Ellis (Canterbury), J. Townsend (Marlborough), D. Colder (Hawke’s Day and Poverty Bay), H. Coppersmith (West Coast). The conference adjourned at 6 o’clock.