NEW ZEALAND,WORKERS' UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2200, 30 April 1896, Page 19

NEW ZEALAND, WORKERS' UNION.

Oamahtj, April 22. The annual conference of delegates from the various branches of the New Zealand Workers' Union took place to-day. Christchuroh, Waimate, Geraldine, Winton, and H'»wke's Bay were represented by delfgatae, nud several unions were represented by proxy. The president's address referred to the position oE the society as satisfactory, and looked forward to more advanced legislation in the interests of the workers. The report showed that £90 less had been^xpended this year than l&it. The sum of £10 was voted to th« Bcunner fand. The following officers were appointed :—President, Mr T. Brown ; vioe-preiidents— Messrs W. H. Lundon, Alf. Walker, and M. Kennedy ; treasurer, Mr H. E. Mann ; trustees— Messrs J. O'Connor, J. Ballivan, and R. Shirley ; auditors— Messrs A. M. Taaffe and B. Burrell ; general secretary, Mr J. O'Brien. It wae moved that conferences be held every three yenrs in the month of April. After diicusßion the matter was held over. It w*s decided that no -member exiting tbe executive, president, and secretary be allowed to attend the conferences. The Ashbnrton branch was reconstructed apart from Christ* church. Notice of motion wm tabled — " Th&t branches nnder 50 be represented by proxy, over 50 and under 500 by one delegate, over 500 two delegates." The conference will be continued to-morrow. April 23. The cosference of delegates from the New Zealand Workers' Union concluded its sitting to-day. It w»s decided that the conferences be held as hitherto. Members who had paid 10j' during tbe past shearing neaton were grtoted a free certificate tor 1897. It was decided to obttin payment of moneys owing by the Australian Workers' Union. - Notice of motion was given that the next conference frame a rule that the election of officers ba by general ballot. The next conference is to ba held at Waimtte. J9a4£a£s«gsa. «m cxproued with the

condition of the balance sheets from TJmarat Goraldine, Winton, and Waimate, baft expUnv 'tions were diked from Tapumi, Gore, and Wellington as to their balance sheets. It wat decided to urge upon the Government tha adrisablencßS of legislating private benefit societies out of existence M tbey offacttvely destroy our ad wire bio friendly sooieties and rob the workers of evwy vestige of freedom, and copies cf this train ordered to be sent to all Libour and Liberal associations in the colony. It was deoicted fco urge tha Government the necessity of pushing on the Looal Government Bill with all despatch as the present method of electing loc»l bodies on a property balls is detrimental to the best interests of the community. The conference expressed aatiifaotion at the appointment of a Royal commission to ininquire into the Brunaer disaster. Congratulations were extended to the Woman's Oonveution, but regret was expressed that the Undet>in>bla Immigrants Bill had baen condemned. The residential qualinoation in general elections >was approved of. With lvgard to station acoomxuodation it «v decided to ask the Government to take up Major Steward's Shearers' Accommodation Bill. A vole of thank* «v passed to Mr Flatmtn for the manner ,in which he had worked for tke unemployed at Qeraldine. It w«s resolve! to take action to make the Christohuroh branch comply with the rules. A vote of thanks wai passed to the president, and tha oonfnrenct terminated. The Hon. W. Holl-Jouee addretaed a meeting in tha Theatre Royal to-night on labour and politics. The attendance was small. . The speaker dealt with the labour legislation paused by the Government, and also what they intended to introduce, aud _ thereafter dealt with general -politioal questions. At the conclusion of the speech votes of thanks to the speaker and of confidence in the Government were carried. A Sydney cable in the Hobarfc Mercury of the 16th inst. says :— " For some months past there bai been a gradual diminution of the number of th« unemployed in tbe cifey, and to-day the labour bureau had a gre*t diffioalty in securing half a dozen stone breakws, with hammers, whose services were being sought. , Only workman who have been at leatfc six months in Victoria will be employed on the public works abaat to be commenced in Melbourne.

" The Journal of the Department of Labour" reports as follows on tbe labour market :— " Dunexlic — Bnilding trade* fairly brisk through the month. Bngine«rhag trades : Puirly busy on Ihe whole. Boot' trade : Busy ; improved since February. Clothing trade al»o bony, except tailoring and dressmaking. Woollen mill* and shirt and hoeiery factories: Baey. Retail trade : Fairly good business doing. Jam aud biscuit factories axe busy. Untkilled labour : Twelve naeu were sents away daring the month to Government wid private employment. There are not- to many men idle now as daring February. Baleluthi — Retail trade » Basy. Untkilled labour : Twenty-three men have been sent to Government works ; thnre are still a few men idle. Invereargill — BuildiDg trades : Several building* are being ereotad, but local tradesmen are not folly employed. Engineering trade: Fairly busy. Clofchiog trade : Very fair business being done. Retail trade: Moderate business doing. Unskilled labour : There are not 80 many mea idle aa during the corresponding period of last year. Sixteen men were sent during March to Government works in the district."

The total number of men employed on the co-operative works ia the o-lony for March last uicder the Survey department was 1355, o{ whom 419 nerd in Wellington, 317 in Auckland, 336 in T&romki, 7 in Canterbury, 105 in Otagj, and 100 in Southland. Under the Public Works department 826 wcro employed, of whom 137 were arfcieans and 689 labourers. On the Catlins rirer railway there were 2 artisans and 40 labourers; on the Seaward Biah railway there were 6 artisans and 54 labourers ; on the Ot*go Central railway there were 10 artisans and l? 0 labourers. Under the Labour department : On the Sfcato farm sA Lsvin there were were 2 artisans and 23 labourers, also 20 families.