THE LABOUR CONFERENCE AT WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1913, 9 October 1890, Page 15

THE LABOUR CONFERENCE AT WELLINGTON.

A BASIS OF SETTLEMENT SUBMITTED AND REJECTED. A NATIONAL TRADES COUNCIL. Wellington, October 6. W hen the conference resumed this morning, Mr D. P. Fisher, the chairman, said that the conference had sat on Saturday, on Sunday, and this morning; but he was sorry to say that no definite settlement had been arrived at. A basis of settlsment was submitted by the labour to the Hon. Q. M'fcean, but Mr M'teaa

I could not see hra way to accents the proposals* I The following was the basis : — | 1 . The delegates agree to submit to-lheir principals a basli of Battlement, conditionally upon Mr M'Eeaa purouiDg a pfrnilar crm?se, as follows :—: — 2. That aFt competent bands- at present In tho employ of the- Union Company be ndmiitTed to the union, withouS-SJaUot r uj>on pnyment of aca entrance' fee. 3 That the Union Corcvpany undertake to/acogniae the Mercantile JTarine Officers' Afcauciation, ana tha Seamen s Union undertake to recognise the new Shipmasters 1 Association without prejudice to either body, and that rmmberahip in either body be considered sufficient for mutual recognition. 4. That all persona- dismissed or called out ba-rein-stated. 5. That In future none but union men be employed where the rules of any union provide for this, except under exceptional circumstances, to be hereafter agreed upon. 6. That a bond be agreed upon between both parties guaranteeing tbat no strike or lookout shall take place for one year,, or such other [period as-may-be agreed upon. The Hon. G. M'Lesa said that the matterhad been thoroughly threshed out by the subconference, and as he had no written reply tothe labour delegates' proposals he would now shortly give his reasons, for refusing to accept them. In the first place,.tbe labour basis would bring parties back exactly where they startedbefore the strike. When the company took on free labourers they pledged themselves to keep, on those men under certain conditions, and he had made it clear on many occasions that whatever happened the company would stick to thomen at present in their employ. The proposalssubmitted by the laboon party suggestad that these men should be thrown over by thecompany, and on that account he could not agree to them. In the second plnoe,. thebasis put the company in the position of compelling their men to join the unions,, and he could never accede to that. As the labour party had made up th«ir minds to stick to the determination not to allow unionists and- non~ unionists to work side by side, lio good could beobained by staying here any longer, as they were only "stringing people on" to eapect a settlement of the difficulty when none could be looked for. He was very glad this conference had been held, for, whatever might come out off it, they had been able to exchange ideas. As. far as the company were concerned they were still able to man and sail vessels. The directors were big-hearted genarous men, and did not wish to take any advantage of the unions, but they really had nothing to give tho unions in return for what they could give the company. He thought the thing ought no wto be allowed to die down. One good that would result from the present strike was that the unions would know how to frame rules so as to avoid difficulties of this kind ia future. Mr J. A. Millar said his party had done everything ia their power to effeot a settlement, bub it was the opinion throughout New Zealand that non-unionists should nob work alongside of unionists. That was the reck on which they split, and from the first he feared such would be the result. He had ju6t received a telegram from Auckland, representing 24 societies and 8000 men, advisiug him not on any account to give way on this point. It was very evident that employers were now taking up an aggressive position, and the labour party were now in stern reality placed on the defensive. Mr M'Lean had advised his party to confess the error of their way, but, as far as he (Mr Millar) could see, they had none to confess. He admitted that the Union Company were able to sail their vessels and the other side could not stop them, nor did they want to. They were quite content to sit down and look on for say a month or six weeks, when perhaps both parties would be in a better mood to come to a settlement. He would never be a party to an agreement allowing non-unionists tc. work with unionsts. He would much rather clear out of the country. The Union Company might consider the result of the conference a victory for them, but he could assure them it would be a dearly bought one. They would never be able to crush out unionism ; and he predicted that before loug even free labourers would form, tbeauelves into unions. Several of the delegates expressed their oDinion on the turn affairs had taken. Mr Sandford (Canterbury Trades and Labour Council) contended that the public could form no other conclusion than that the labour delegates had tried to settle the matter, and that the capitalists had evidently decided to accept nothing short of surrender. Even if capitalists were able to repress unionism just now unionists would begin preparations for another conflict, and one which he feared would be yet more disastrous in its consequences, If tbpy fivze driven to extremes unionists would be compelled to attach themselves to some secret society such as the Knights of Labour, which had already taken a dangerous hold on New Zealand. Mr Parker (president of the Christchurch Trades and Labour Council) regretted very much that all efforts at effecting a settlement had failed. He considered that when so meny men, women, and children were crying out for peace it was cruel that nothing could be done for them. Mr Hoban (president of the Railway Servants' Society) asked how it was that the company now declined to recognise unionism, seeing that it had in the past employed none but unionists ? The Hon. Mr M'Lean : We didn't care about it, but you wouldn't let any others work. Mr Hoban said he believed that the object of employers in trying to crush unionism wa3 to try and reduce the wages of labour ; in fact, an employer in Christchurch had told him tbat one effect would be that men would work as wharf labourers at Lyttelton for half the wages heretofore paid. As far as he could see unionists had made all concessions, whereas Mr M'Lean had refused to give way on any one point, though a little yielding on his part would have settled the whole trouble. Mr T. L. Mills (of the Typographical Society) said that to work with non-unionists practically meant to have no unions at all, for all efforts yet spent in organising would be absolutely thrown away. He was strongly of opinion that f Mr M'Lean would meet them halfway a settle ment would be arrived at, but, if not, then public opinion would in future be decidedly with the unionists. Mr Blvine3 (Railway Servants' Society) said the attitude of the Union Company plainly meant a determination to crush out unionism, but he believed that from this time forth unionism would progress more than ever. Even if men were obliged, for the present, to work with non-unionists there was bound to be reaction, and that before long. Mr Ansell (Miners and Labourers' Association), referring to the press attacks upon Mr Millar, said that gentleman had always been in consultation with other members of the Maritime^ Council. For himself he dare not go back to his district, and inform the men that they must work with non-nnionißts. Capital had hitherto combined in the form of companies, but it denied to unionists the right of combination. The Government, too, were working in concert with capitalists. That was evident from the way in which the police were being massed in Westporfc, a peaceful district, to which there could be no reason for sending them unless it was desired to provoke physical strife. Mr Winter (Railway Servant*' Society) hoped

that Mr M'Lean would sea his way to submit the proposals of the labour party to his principals if, in the course of a few days, public opinion were shown to be in support of the dele- J gates, as ho believed it would. The Hon. Mr M'Lean remarked that from the tone the debate was taking it would be out of place for him to remain, as it was evident that there was to be a repetition of the attacks upon his company. He complained that the position of his company was being continally misrepresented. He had come there in good faith to discuss the trouble with them, and he reminded them that the company had had no say in bringing about this trouble. Their men had been taken away and they had engaged others — non-unionists, it had been said ; but he would not raise the slightest objection to their becoming unionists to-morrow. As to the remarks about the employment of Chinamen, he would assure the meeting that the services of 200 Maoris had been pressed upon him, bub he_ had absolutely refused to take them in competition with Europeans. The directors^ of the company had bound themselves to stick to its 2000 men, and they could not consent to those men being compelled to join the union. He did not wish to remain there simply to be attacked, because he had a great deal to do]; but he asked that, if he had to leave, it should not be thought he intended any discourtesy. Mr Boase (Greymouth Labourers) and Mr F. C. Miller (Typographical Society) also spoke. Mr Seymour (Wharf Labourers' Union) pointed out that the men now out on strike were sure to drift back to the Union Company's boats, and they would reawaken unionism there with increased force. On the motion of Mr Lomas, seconded by Mr M'Lean, a vota of thanks was accorded to the chairman. Mr Fisher, in acknowledging the vote, said an entirely new phase of the matter had been developed, for workmen throughout the colony would see that the question was whether or not unions were to be allowed to exist, so that trades which had hitherto held aloof from the dispute would be dragged into the struggle now that this issue was made plain. He believed that the trouble had but scarcely begun, but he hoped that even yefc something would occur which would bring about a settlement. The conference then adjourned till 10 a.m. to-morrow. Nothing has been made known as to what was done at a meeting of the labour delegates held this afternoon after the meeting of the conference, except that Messrs Millar and Fisher were deputed to wait on the Premier, and obtain his views as to the manner in which the conference should be formally closed, and also to ascertain if he could suggest any further means of bringing about a settlement of the dispute. The abortive conclusion of the Labour Conference has excited no surprise at all ; ib was foreseen from the first. The Hon. Mr M'Lean completely " walked round " the other side, and put them so entirely and manifestly in the wrong that they became bewitched and talked at random. The strike is " fizzling " out day by day, but I fear many who would gladly go back now to work will never have the chance, so many places, here at any rate, are permanently and satisfactorily filled up. October 7. The conference resumed, this morning, but the Hon. G H'Lean was absent, having gone South yesterday. The Chairman said that since they lasb met the labour party had talked matters over, and had come to the conclusion that it would not be wise to close the conference, but simply to adjourn sine die, in the hope that something might arise to bring about a settlement of the dispute. Mr Millar said that before an adjournment was made he had one subject to bring forward, and that was the question of establishing a national trades couacl for the whole of New Zealand. He thought in the interests of labour there should be one controlling body, and that a national council could be successfully worked. He had not the slightest doubt, if a national council were established, the Maritime Council, as ifc at ptesent exists, would still continue, bub two delegates from each trades and labour council would have a seat on the national council. It was also proposed to set up a permanent executive. He said that the scheme was not yet fully decided on, and he suggested that each trades council should send any suggestions as to the working of a national council as soon as possible, so that they might be considered at the meeting of the Maritime Council ab Auckland in November. He moved — "That this meeting of delegates affirm the desirableness of establishing a National Trades Council of New Zealand." The motion was seconded by Mr Sandford, and carried unanimously. Mr Millar next referred to the action of the commissioners in dismissing four men in Dunedin, and expressed the opinion thafe the commissioners were singling out officers of the society for dismissal. He felt strongly that this was nothing more nor less than an attempt to crush the society out of existence ; but he was determined that this should not be done if he could help ib, and on his way South he would lay the matter before every trade, even if he took a month to accomplish the journey. If the men did not obtain justice it would not be his fault. After some discussion, Mr Sandford moved— "That this conference regret very much the action of tho commissioners in discharging Mr Newton, an employe at the Hillside workshops, who is also president of the local branch of che Railway Servants' Society, such discharge being suggestive of a desire on the part o£ the commissioners to disorganise the society, and being contrary to the pledge given that no men should be marked for taking a prominent part in the working of the society ; and that a deputation consisting of Messrs Lomas, Fisher, Winter, and Sandford be appointed to interview the commissioners on the subject, and, failing that, to lay the matter before the Premier." The Chairman, in supporting the motion, said ifc was only right that some action should be taken, but it might be found on inquiry that a wrong construction had been put on the commissioners' action. The motion wps carried unanimously. The conference then adjourned sine die. The Railway Commissioners have replied to the labour party that they decline to receive a deputation, as they cannot allow any person to interfere between them and their employes.

The subscriptions collected in Auckland in aid of the Balaclava survivors, amounting to £40, were sent Home on Monday last. Sir Harry Atkinson seemed much better on Friday. He went to his office the morning and stayed some time. He said he felt greatly better through having at last been able to sleep well at night, whereas previously he had suffered severely from obstinate insomnia, and narcotics do not suit him. He has found the new drug " Bulphanot " a most valuable sedative, giving him sound and refreshing sleep without leaving any unpleasant after effects. He has become quite another man during the last week or two, and his friends are very sanguine now that his projacted trip after ths general election will brace him up for next session's experiences.