THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14281, 1 August 1908, Page 4

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

NEWS AND NOTES. Br the Hon-. J. T. Paul, M.L.O. Items of information and brief comments on questions coining ui>dcr this heading are always welcome. Bocks, pamphlets, etc., Bent to the editor of this column will also bo noticed. THE LABOUR PARLIAMENT, The curtain has rung down on the event of the year in the Labour world. The. annual conference of delegates from the Trades and Labour Councils of tho Dominion rightly occupies a big place in the public eye. In the main the delegates are tried by length of service in the ranks, though the proportion of "first year" men was larger than usual this year.' This was to be expected in view of the- new constitution. And I have to re-echo my first impression of hist week—the new basis of representation is too low. The result is a. huge conference, with an over-repre-sentation ol the Wellington Counoil and under-ropresentation of other councils because of expense prohibiting full representation of all. Wellington had seven representatives present at the conference just closed. On the basis of representation recognised by our conference, we would find 1500 delegates attending an Knglish Trades Union Congress. If the congress lasted long enough each delegate might have a chance of saying a word The expense in our own case is prohibitive. The result is unsatisfactory because equal representation is impossible. As Wellington is chosen as the place of meeting- for next conference, the capital city will again bo fully represented and bo saved tile cost of paying delegates while travelling. And when it is pointed out that all questions are .decided by a vote of delegatca-not, as in Britain, by the number the delegates represent-an additional element of unfairness is apparent. The constitution rmisl bo amended in this important respect at the earliest possible opportunity. The conference was remarkable for many things. Delegates discussed- many question's outside tne agenda, paoer, questions upon which the individual councils had not given instructions. If the decision of conference on some of these points is also the opinion of the rank and file then I am glad; but it is clearly more by good luck than good management if such proves to be the case. In writing of the Socialist Conference held some months ago I drew attention to the safeguard adopted by them. Every resolution agreed to by conference had to ba endorsed by a majority of the branches before it bscaino a decision of the Socialist At the conference just closed grave questions wero decided on the ground that conference, as a composition of leaders, was justified in expressing its opinion apart from .the organisations they were sent to represent. More new matter was introduced! into this conference, and a decision arrived at thereon, than at any previous gathering. , f The decision of most general interest was that on the liquor business. The majority were unquestionably und uncompromisingly against.the trade. Auckland and Wellington councils had previously decided against, the liquor trade as at present conducted. The delegates representing the other councils were called on to vote according to their conception of their councils' wishes in the matter or according u> their private inclinations. There has been a good deal of comment on the conference decision oin this matter, but it cannot he denied thai the decision is in harmony' with the general Labour attitude on ibis question in different parts of the world. The attitude of labour men in Britain at the moment is full ot illustrations supporting . this point, Mr Ramsay Mac Donald recently told a deputation from workmen's clubs that he was going to support the English Licensing Bill. He was frank about the matter. "If it comes to a question a.s between my convictions and losing my seat, I will stick to my convictions." Mr Philip Snowden, in his' new bbok on " Socialism and the Drink Question "—a. book' about which I shall have something to say later on—gives evidence of the growth of temperance in Labour rank's I and disposes of the charge that Socialists ignore the importance of the drink question. Here is a. line in proof: — The Independent Labour party, which is the chief Socialist body in Great Britain, contains among its'membership a larger proportion of abstainers than any other political organisation in the country. "Drink is sol'd in less than 3 per cent, of its clubs, and the annual conferences of the party have passed resolutions deploring the association of drink even to this extent with the movement. The party has its temperance programme, and the subject of the legislative aspect of the question is frequently treated at its'public meetings and debates. Time will justify the wisdom of last week's decision of conference. A feature of the conference which must .have pained all true well-wishers was the antagonism existing between delegates. Intolerant insinuations which were neither dignified nor creditable to the leaders of a great movement wero bandied over the table. I do not wish it to biMmdorslood that this was generally indulged in-only a small minority took any part in this questionable pastime. An acrimonious spirit is foreign to a right conception and appreciation of the Labour movement. The call issued by the American Federation of Labour for its last annual convention pointed out that the convention '" wasn't a smoker, a picnic, nor a mass meeting." One or two delegates to the recent conference apparently thought the conference was a mass meeting, and wero more desirous of getting their pet idea adopted by conference than of agreeing to a resolution which would further the general Labour movement. The division of opinion as to the right political course to pursue was largely responsible for the unpleasant • feeling. It is not sensible to ■either contend that nothing that is Is right or that everything the Government docs is right. There is a middle course which chimes in with the dictates of common sense and the opinions of evenly-balanced people. A eau-:c which contributed to the- illfeeling was the result, of the annual election of officers for the Canterbury Trades Council. Party politics are always troublesome, and have been kept out Dominion Trades amd Labour Councils till lately. Some of the councils contain two parties'— Liberal-Labour and Independent Labour. And these two sections sometimes regard each other as their natural enemy, "and act accordingly. So much so that in some rases a -bear garden would be a haven of peace compared to a council meeting when a " party" struggle is on. Fortunately Diuiodin is free from this disastrous, state of .things. According to "Unionist" in his "Labour -Notes" in the Evening Post-.-"Of Late years all the Trade Councils' elections have resolved into a political contest—Liberalism versus Independent Labour. Till the recant Oliristchurch Council elections the advocates of Independent. Labour have had tilings all their own wav. A year ago Liberalism was hopelessly beaten in Christchurch. Its advocates had no chance of securing oven the" least-sought-for official position in the ranks of organised Labour. At the annual elections a fortnight ago the. partisans of Liberalism 6cored all along the line. Not a single Independent Labourite secured office." There were 100 delegates prcsont at the annual meeting of the Christchurch Counoil. I am informed that the lato executive divided itself into adherents of the Liberal-Labour and hide-pendant Labour. Again, Duncdin has no far steered clear of the party political whirlpool. Conference showed a decided disinclination to take its share of blame for post mistakes—or what are now urged to be mistakes—in our experiments in conciliation and arbitration. The militant section of the conference focussed their condemnation on two main points of disastrous failure—Hie "Willis blot," which gave either party to a. dispute the right to go direct to the Arbitration Court, a.nd totally ignore the Conciliation Board; and the inclusion of penal clauses in the act. Now, what has .been the real attitude of previous conferences on these two points? On page 11 of the official report of the 1902 conference will be found the report of the discussion on a motion to ask Parliament to repeal the "Willis blot." After full consideration the motion for the repeal of the clause was lost by tho substantial majority of 11 votes to 2. It is probable that many of the delegates present at last week's conference were unaware of that decision, but there is no excuse for the leaders' ignorance of the history of past, deliberations. Then, again, what'has been the- attitudo of conference to the antistrike and lockout clause 15 in the present, act? At the 1906 conference the executive report sand: " Wo welcome. . . . amendments to the Conciliation .and Arbitration Act 10 protect .workers while an agreement or award is pending mid to prevent lockouts and strikes." It was moved io delete rho_ words "and to pevent lockouts and strikes," but the motion was lost, and tho sentiment was endorsed. It will

therefore be eccn that a trades ami labour conference endorsed in 1906 that which it condemns in 1908. A conference is. not infallible any more than is a Government, but the strong and hone-' man should acknowledge his errors. I fully agree with conference that had the Legislature embodied more of its proposals in our arbitration law that law would be in a much more satisfactory .position to-day. But let. us bo honest enough to acknowledge that even conference makes mistakes. The most' serious mistake conference made was in its apparent commendation of strikes. I am to-day drawing attention to the weak points in the late conference. Lot no reader understand for a single instant that I say the 1908 conference was if failure. Not a bit of it. It was a success; but not such a success as it should have been. And not ouch a success as some previous conferences have been. But that by the way. We have some indifferent conferences as wo have somo .indifferent Parliaments. The} are both human machines. Tho conference endorsed the principles of the Hon. W. 1\ Reeves's act which w&> oi sctlio industrial disputes primarily by conciliation, and, lastly, by arbitration, each compulsory in its turn. It also commended those unions which had struck in defiance of the spirit of that law. This is more than an inconsistency. I am wholly with conference in much of its condemnation of tho present bill. But so far as conference endorsed and commended strikes it misrepresented tho tr.-ides unionists of the Dominion. The rank and file has enough sense, to recognise that strikes and compulsory arbitration cannot oxist side by side. The rank and file can tee that if unionists are "free" to strike, then employers must 'be "free" to lock-out. Some loaders want the benefits of compulsory arbitration to force tho'employer to meet and discuss terms, to have the case heard by the court, to accept the decision of. the court if they please, and lo strike if it doesn't suit. In some cases Labour would profit considerably by such a step if such a step were possible. But tho employer must be allowed o.cpial rights. He must be allowed lo lock-out when it suits him, and unionists will readily understand' Hint when it suits him to lock-out it will most probably not suit them. The employers aro not fools. If the striko and lock-out is legalised employers will use the lack-out asopportunity offers. Wise Labour leaders will try to appraise tho relative advantages of arbitration versus strikes and lock-outs, and conclude in favour of that which is best and most equitable in the interests of tho workers and the. community.- And it is the on< or the other. It is childish to support arbitration if it suits, and claim tho right to strike ff it suits, knowing full well that a strike is a death-blow at the arbitration system. Mr Kcae, an English Clarion writer whom I have quoted before, tells of a Boer farmer who highly treasured a rusty old flint-lock gun which his ancestors, who were'early African settlers, had fought and hunted with in days long gone. This farmer was proud of that pm becauso of its associations and its vcnorablo age, but lie did not treasure it for its present usefulness. He went out to fight' in his country's cause and won honour and scars in tho lato South- African war. He did not take that old gun with him. He fought with a better weapon and left the old one still hanging on, the ,\vall—an honoured relic of an nnforgotten past. That is'whcrcthfi striko should be; hung on the wall. It lias brought down its man and its haa'rteboeeto in tho day of its utility—you dare not shoot at orows with it now. Can tho trades unionists see the point. I think so. Climatically,-Wellington is known as the windy city.v lu the region of industrial agitation there arc few in the colony who can, hold a candle to some of the Wellington leaders for vituperation. They arc masters of the gentle art of denunciation. They affect to believe in a policy of splendid isolation. So much 60 that, when at tho conclusion of the conference, a proposal was made to interviow tho Government and lay the decisions of the conference before it,, the suggestion was met with lofty scorn. Conference has every right to approach the Government and expect that the shall give full consideration to its pioposals, Tho workers of the colony will insist that that consideration is forthcoming. The policy of the wrecker is not new, however. In 1902 the Wellington Trades and Labour Council contained some wreckers. In their opinion the workers' representative on- the courtwas a.''wooden man," the then judge was "appointed for tho express purpose of preventing the workers from availing themselves of the net," the "Arbitration Act wa3 the greatest' curse that Labour had ever put upon it." "I say, lot us strike when we aro ready," said ono delegate, " and if we do 'there will not be enough gaols in the colony to hold us." And this was supposed to be the views of tho majority of the council si)t years ago. Two or three of the Wellington delegates attending 'the conference last, week showed that Wellington has not deteriorated since 1902. An old toper once assured me that it was quite a mistake, to think the- froth was part of the beer.' I have no personal knowledge that the toper was right. But his contention certainly appears reasonable. DUNEDIN WHARF LABOURERS AND CANCELLATION. Some weeks ago I congratulated Mr W. Belcher for showing trades unions where they stood in i-egard to cancelling registration under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. The congratulations were a little previous, but were based on ample evidence. When one rends in the Government Gazette, under the hand of a Cabinet Minister, that the registration of a union is cancelled, the ordinary mind is apt to conclude that the registration of the union really is cancelled. Apparently, however, it is not. An irreverent critic once said the law was "a hass." Tho critic was very lenient, in his criticism. Our arbitration law is based on voluntary action. A union may .register under the act if it pleases. It lias always been understood that a union could cancel that registration when it pleased, provided always that it fulfilled its obligations insofar iis any award was concerned. A union could cancel its registration immediately an award was given, but that award still governed the industry go far as wages and working conditions were concerned. .. It was also understood that a union could cancel its registration after the expiry of an award if it thought it desirable to do so. The recent experience of the wharf labourers seems to show that the only way a union can at the present time be sure of being free _ at the expiry of its award is to cancel registration whilst the award is in force. That is a most unsatisfactory proceeding. It. is against the interests of unionists and industrial peiico. Yet a union must, bo free to take what course it decme best in the interests of its members. It was not the intention of the Legislature to bind a union in perpetuity. Section 20, which Mr Belcher relies on, appears (o fully vindicate his contention. The court and tho Crown Law officers are against him. Tho effect of tlie decision—if decision ' it be called—is that so soon as any tin ion applies for cancellation of registration any employer can file a reference and prevent cancellation. Fortunately in tho present case the Union Steam Sliip Company withdrew its citation, and elucidated an awkward and unsatisfactory position. , The future is to bo provided for. The amending bill meets the point in clause 59, ■sub-section 1 of which provides that, " Notwithstanding anything in section 20 of tho principal act, tho cancellation under that section of the registration of an industrial union shall not bo prevented by the pendency of anv conciliation or arbitration proceedings, if thq__ application for cancellation has been made to the registrar l)ofore the commencement of the said proceedings." ' Such a provision if passed will obviate future misunderstandings. JOTTINGS. Mr E. J. Carey, secretary of conference, expects to have tho offioiaj report in the hands of the- councils in a fortnight's time. If ho accomplishes that ho will put up a record, and earn tho thanks of unionists and all interested in tho Labour movement. Auckland carters aro in favour of a carters' fedw.-it.ion for tho Dominion, and are acting accordingly. Thanks to Mr J. Hayncs for copy of A.S.E. Journal for June. There are 2100 financial members affiliated to the Wesiland Trades and Labour Council. Fifty thousand school children, according to Mr Robert Hunler, are going breakfastless to school in New York. Out of the 12 new Legislative Councillors, the Wade Government has given the workers of New South Wales only one representative. Tho Labour daily movement is steadily growing in South Australia. Nearly 500 additional shaves have been taken iip in the city and suburbs during the past month. Federal Labour leader Fisher save tho fair sex his 1 blessing in three words at the Federal Political Labour Conference;—"T trust tliat not another Federal election will take pbice without- there being a woman endorsed a,s a Labour candidate for tho Senate, ami I hope it will not bo only in or.e State." Tho Countess of Warwick has agreed to make mj, electioneering lour, cpverrag

practically all the great cities of tho Slates, in support of Mr Kugcno V Debs, tin Socialist candidate for the American Presidency. Lons hours in coal pits have never meant increased output. It has usually meant elfele machinery', carolessly-kept toad.*?, more accidents, and general slovenliness op the pari of managers of mines.—J Sullivan, Scottish Miners' Executive. An item of news from the pen of the New Zealand correspondent to SydneyWorker :—" lu previous numbers of the Worker il was slated that a deal of trouble has arisen in New Zealand over the proposal of the Ward (Jovernment to repeal the Arbitration Act and substitute a different and, in ihe opinion of the workers or the Dominion, a lew satisfactory method of settling industrial disputes. There is evidently a great slump'in'the election enthusiasm of the movement. Less than a half of the cost of the Dewsbury and Monlro.se by-election outlay has been raised, and tho National Fund'is in consequence greatly depleted. Unless, therefore, the branches wake up and recuperate the fund, the fighting power of the party will to seriously toripplcd.— Labour Leader.