TIMBER WORKERS CONFER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9632, 12 April 1917, Page 3

TIMBER WORKERS CONFER

FORMIDABLE PERMITS. The annual conference commenced in Wellington yesterday, and is continuing to-day, of the Now Zealand Federated Sawmills and Timber Yards and Goal Yards Employees’ Association, The following delegates are in attend* an co: —Southland, Mr T. O’Byrne j Otago, Messrs H. Willis and J. Huston ; Canterbury, Mr 11. Hunter: Wellington, Messrs J. Head and A. G, Wilkinson; Auckland, Mr E. Phelan. Mr T. O’Byrne was elected chairman and Mr H. Hunter secretary of the conference. Tho secretary’s report upon tile work nf tho past year was adopted. Remits from the various centres were adopted as follow; From Southland: That the Government be urged to take tho necessary ste’Ts to the nationalisation of tha liquor industry. That the conference protests against Parliament Voting ah extra year of office without consulting tlio people; that the conference strongly protests against the Executive mailing Ordors-in-Counoil suppressing live speech, and against government by regulation : that the second schedule of the Workers’ Compensation Act be amended to provide IS nor cent, for the loss of part of the left thumb l that iu case of accident, full medicalexpenses be allowed, and payment from date of injury, irrespective of the* period of incapacity. From Wellington: That tho conference sot up a deputation to the Minister for Labour re tho dust nuisance in timber factories; that the Government be urged to make it compulsory upon all employers to insure their employees against accident in the State Insurance Office.

From Auckland: That the attitude; adopted by tho Farmers’ Union, asking that a prohibitive tariff be placed on white pine exported from the Dominion he condemned; that the con: ferenco urge tho Government to introduce special legislation in similar term* to tho Coal Mines Act, 1903, whereby State timber - workers would come under tho jurisdiction of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. This stop. i« deemed necessary in view of the fact that the State will probably by pur* chase or establishment enter more largely into the timber industry. From Canterbury; That the question of organisation be given special consideration, with a view to co-operation with other industrial bodies in appoint, ment of organisers; that the Government be urged to establish State farms for grain-growing, a State .flour mill, and State oakeries, with a view to -preventing, any further exploitation or the consumers; that the Government he urged to give power to local Labour Department officials to proceed against offenders for breaches of awards, without having, as at present, to first refer the case to the head office for official sanction to proceed. _ From Otago; That this ccnferonce. objects to carpenters, joiners, and their apprentices working machines in factories governed by timber workers' awards, and consider the host means toprevent (his obnoxious practice; that) the federation take steps to secure a. uniform award for these unions where awards expire on the same day.