TRADES AND LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Otago Daily Times, 27 April 1906, Page 4 (Supplement)

TRADES AND LABOUR CONFERENCE.

A CONCISE SUMMARY. Tho following gives in a concise form the resolutions carried by tho conference of delegates from the Trades and Labour Councils of tho colony recently held in Chrislchureh: — 1. Land nationalisation and nationalisation of mineral wealth. 2. Nationalisation of the marine, coastal, intercolonial, and Yvanganui llivcr services. 3. Government state clothing and lroot factories; flour and woollen mills; bakeries, ironworks, and shipbuilding yards. 4. Nationalisation of kauri gum industry. 5. Rating on unimproved value. 6. That the Government! be urged to oeaso the sale of Crown lands, and to provide for tho revaluation of all Crown lands held on leave, providing that there shall be no revaluation of existing lease until 50 years from date of lease, or until tho transfer of the lease to another party; resumption of land for closer settlement to be at owner's valuation for taxation purposes, plus 10 per cent.: tenants to have an absolute right, to their own improvements. 7. Increase of land and income tax; reduction of exemption from income tax as now allowed; progressive, income, and absentee tax. 8. Unconditional preference to unionists. 9. Decisions of Arbitration Court to Ik given within three months of the filing of the case. 10. Applications for the enforcement of awards, industrial agreements, etc., to do away with the necessity of the ballot- of members and posting of notices. Note.:— Members expressed the opinion that tho union should have free right to bring rases for breaches of awards where Inspectors refuse to take them up. 11. Recommendation of Conciliation Board agreed to by all parties to have all tho force of an Arbitration Court award. 12. Hems agreed to before Conciliation Board to bo included in Arbitraiion Court award.

13. When union and two-thirds of employers affected, agree to the recommendation of the board, it shall be binding on the whole.

14. That, il shall be illegal for any employer to summon his employees before him and request them to sign any document or an individual opinion respecting the conditions under which they aro cmployed, when there is a union in existence, in connection with the industry in which they aro employed. 15. Two industrial unions of employers or workers may be registered as an industrial association. Note.—At present the two unions must be in the one industry. 16. Conciliation Board recommendation shall como into force 30 days after filing, and shall remain in force until the Arbitration Court makes an award.

17. The Conciliation and Arbitration Act to bo amended so as to bring under its provisions all State employees throughout the colony.

18. United action in selecting workers' representative, and incoming executive to moko arrangements to secure the strongest man possible for the position. 19. That the Government be requested to introduce legislation providing that where male and female workers are employed they receive equal pay for equal work, and that the same facilities be granted females as males in procuring work which they are equally capable of performing. 20. That legislation be recommended to provide that all goods manufactured in Now Zealand bo marked "Made in New Zealand," and that it be penal to so stamp goods not made in the colony, 21. That the Government be requested to make special inquiries into raws involving the disrbargc from employment or lx>ycofling of any unionist: union to procure evidence. Department lo prosecute, and failing satisfaction from the department, the union to take such steps as will terminate Hie lioyeott and have justice done to the aggrieved party. 22. Tho Government lo make provision for enforcement of "Labour Day Act, 1399," by providing a penal clause for breaches of the act.

23. Thai an industrial agreement duly signed by .in industrial union and a majority of employers in any district shall lx> enforceable, and in every particular as effectual, as an award of the court.

24. That. Stipendiary Magistrates be given power to adjudicate in oases of enforcement of awards and industrial agreements. Their decision to be final.

25. That experts he appointed to sit with the magistrate on application by either party.

26. That the word "incompetent" should be substituted for " under-rate" in connection with those workers unable to cam the minimum wage. 27. That Clause 60 of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act be amended so that both parties must agree before a dispute can Ikj referred to the court without being heard by the Conciliation P;oanl.

28. Amendment Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act for protection of workers who may be engaged forming a union.

29. Inspector of factories to claim from the employer the compensation the injured person is entitled to, and band it over to the injured person. 30. Amendment Workers' Compensation Act:—Excision of claufe 14, which provides for contracting out. inasmuch as said clause contains no provision for tho cmplovers to vote bv ballot. 31. Principle affirmed at 1905 conference in favour of compensation for total disablement be reaffirmed, and lh.it in such case the trade or calling in which ihe worker was injured be specified. 3?. compulsory half-holiday. 33. Stale legal bureau." 3*. (State) public defe-nders.

35. Restriction of the importation of either male or female labour.

35. Principle of universal six-hour day affirmed.

37. Incoming executive to arrange for intercolonial trades and labour conference.

33. That the incoming executive bo instructed ro draft a scheme for a bill prov'ding for fixing the maximum profits in all industries, and empowering tho Government to call triennially for returns from all manufacturers and employers and to oncourago the combination of industries o;> a co-operative basis.

39. That tho Conference again urge upon tho Government the necessity of introducing ft bill on,tho lines brought forward by the Hon. W. P. Reeves in 1695 to enable the Department of Labour to demand reliable statistics for its reports. 40. Amendment Factories Act io provide that inspector of factories should 1-c accompanied by an export when inquiring into accidents caused by machinery. 41. Proposal to provide a penalty for breaelics of Shore and Offices Act on statutory holidays was referred to the executive.

42. Registration of all partnerships with names and occupations of all such partners. 45. Abolition of duties on all necessaries of lifo that cannot he produced in the colony.

'44. Prevention of importation of Volunteer uniforms.

45. Export duty on kauri gum over tie value) of £40 per ton. < 46. Tariff revision to give givater encouragement to all national industries. 47. That the incoming executive should lie iccommended to prepare a scheme for submission to the next, conference io induce the public to support local manufacturers. 48. Tariff revision beginning 1905 session: to give greater encouragement to all N.Z. industries,

49. Executive to consider the need for the suppression of trusts and combine*. 50. Uniform set of school books to he printed by Government and supplied at cost price. 51. Individual r-chool desks and seats. 52. Elective Executive. 53. Local (Government Reform.-(a) Use of parliamentary roll (b) popular votes for election to all bodies; (cl all electors to vote on all questions submitted to a. poll. 54. Removal of all civil and political disabilities from civil servants. 55. Amendment. Electoral Act .making itillegal for candidates for parliamentary honours to make donations within three months of an election or candidate to promise or anyone io ask for donations. 56. Increase of Chinese poll tax to £1000. and that Chinese bo submitted to same educational test as any other uhdesirible immigrant. 57. Government to introduce legislation to "ivo effect, to the prineinle of "Mr E. M'Nab's absolute majority bill. 58. That the Government be urged to introduce legislation to provide, boards of appeal in connection with hospitals for the mentally afflicted, orphanages, industrial schools, inebriates' homos, and all other institutions other than gaols where people can be detained against their wills; such boards Io have power to deal with the unjust- dismissal of attendants and nurses or arbitrary and unjust treatment, of tho same by superior officer or any case of suspected illegal detention. That the Lunacy Act be amended in the direction of making it more difficult to commit, people to asylums without, the fullest investigation of all cases, and io provide, a- heavy penalty in cases where illegal uses arc attempted to bo made of such institutions; also to enforce the penalty wherc asylum attendants arc convicted of brutal assaults on patients. 59. That the Government, be urged to issuo as legal tender notes for the purpose of completing the unfinished main trunk and other important, railway lines now in the course of construction "and for other permanent and reproductive works, with a view to providing permanent currency as a medium of exchango for the internal trade of the colony. 60. That the Bank of New Zealand be converted into a State Bank with sole right of note issue.

61. Cessation of Government borrowing except for redemption of loans. ° 62. Inspection of Machinery Act. Protectors over Waler Gauge Glasses.—Thaf, all steam boilers carrying a pressure of 4011) nor sqnnro inch and over shall have protectors over water gauge glasses of an amiroved pattern. Penalty, not exceeding

63. Persons in Charge of Engines or Boilers to have Certificate.—That, notwithstanding _ anything in tho act. any person in charge of any steam engine, or boilers shall have a certificate. Such certificate shall bn held by tho person actually engaged driving the engines or firing the, boiler, no other certificate being used to cover the job. Also, such person shall not bo absent himself or ceaso to have proper control of the engines or boilers, and shall not be' at a distance from the said engines or boilers exceeding 20 yards. 64. That the name of the weekly newspaper published in flic interests of' Labour be altered from "The Otago Liberal" to 'The Beacon," and that it should'bo supported by all tho unions of tho colony. 65. Copies of proceedings of conference to be posted to all M.H.R.'s and Trades Councils throughout tho world.