TRADES AND LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2507, 9 April 1902, Page 45

TRADES AND LABOUR CONFERENCE.

AUCKLAND, April 4. The Trades and Labour Conference to-day resohed that the Conciliation and Arbitration Act should be amended in the direction of making the party asking for adjournment responsible for the co=ts incurred by either side. It was resolved that the Government be requested to introduce legislation to prevent foreign vessel^ carrying cargo between New Zealand ports ; also, that they shall not receive mail subsidies. It was further decided that the Government be urged to appoint labour representatives on tho harbour boards, and give more labour representation in the Legislative Council and on all other public bodies on which the Go~i ernment have power to nominate. It vvos unanimously resolved to urge the Government to amend ths Shops and Shop Assi-tants Act by making it compulsory to clo?e all .--hops not now exempt every day not later than 8 o'clock, also on the weekly half-hohday. whether there be a public holiday that week or not. Ihe conference resolved that the municipal councils of the colony be urged to press forward the municipalising of such public conveniences as trams, gas, electric lighting, baths, lecture halls, and places of amusement ; and that the Government be urged to extend the powers conferred on municipalities in respect to public con- I veniences to county councils. It was also decided that the Municipal Corporations and Counties Acts be amended in the direction of giving- every elector the right to vote on loan proposals ; and that the Coal Mines Act be amended fo that the royalty on coal for accidents be extended to apply to cases of sickness. The conference resolved — " That the Government .be urged to acquire land and build workmen's dwellings within the centres of population and populous suburbs of the city ; and that the Government be urged to extend the principle of purchasing land for workers' honves to country districts whore towii3 exist with large populations. Mr Naughton (Wellington) moved — "That this conference urges the trades councils of the colon}' to consider the question of appointing a colonial labour organisation." — Mr -vl'Cullough (Canterbury) moved as an amendment — " That the executive be requested to draw up a practical scheme and submit the same to the various councils." — The amendment was adopted unanimously. It was resolved — "That this conference again urge upon the Government the necessity of introducing a bill on the lines of the Hon. W. P. Pveeve's bill of 1695, so as to enable the Department of Labour to collect reliable statistics for us reports." "That the Govc-rrrient be urged to establish a State Fiie li.-urar.ee Office for the transaction of all fire insurance business within the colony." " That the Government be urged to make provision compelling all tradesmen taking orders for tailoring to employ tailors or tailoresses. such work to be done in workshops belonging to the firm taking the order."' "That the Government be urged to establish State tailoring nnd boot manufacturing workshops for the purpose of making boot c and clothes for all State employees." At che suggestion of Mr Rusbridge, it was agreed to include ammunition and saddlery factories. A motion was adoptee! — ''That the Government be asked to push on more vigorously the planting of fre^ on Crown lands, and also to conserve t he native timber from destruction." ' c That the Government be urged to repeal section 28 of the Defence Act — namely, 'all military clothing, saddlery, and equipments imported into the colony for the bona fide use of a volunteer corps shall, on the certificate in writing of the Defence Minister that the same are or have been imported for such purpose, be admitted into the colon y free of customs duty.' " " That the Premier be reQUPPIed to introduce his Money-lenders Bill during the coming session of Parliament, and that the legal -atps of interest be in lespect of a loan, whether made by one or more advancer — Not exceeding 40s, 10 per cent per annum if secured, and 15 per cent, if i:>T-ec ured : e\< °odin<r 40u, but not r-x-cfo'liug £10. 8 per cent >-ec\ired and 12 per cent, un ecu fed : rvtoodmcr £10. 5 per cent, if secured and 10 per cent, un-ecuretl " "That the Government be a=kecl to pass :i Ma<-ter= and Apprentices Bill providing that all annrentiecs shall be legally indentured, such deprl of onpvontieeship to be registered at the office of the inspector of factories." "That a uii'foim «et of school books lie printed and pubb'-lifd in New Zealand by the Government and sold at coft pric 0 ." "To request tho Government to introducp an Kieht Hours Bill." "That the Jury Act should bp amended to provide that both srraud and common jury panels be selected from nil classes of the community, and tliat no solicitor or out e ide iserson be allowed to inspect the iiirv panel." "That steps be taken to federate the whole of the labour organisation* throughout the colony." This motion was adopfp'l unanimously, and it ivps le-o'ved to refer tli" question to the oxeeume, with ir>>iiuotior«s to formulate a scheme for Icdcsation and report at next conffrer.^e. April 5. The Traces snd Labour Conference re'olved unanimously to urge thp Government to nationalise the mineral wealth and earrvm» trade of tho colony: to am. nd the , rtop'v-entat'on Act by the abolition of tho rural quota of 23 pci cent, for suburban rli«trict= : to give preference of employment in the State nerv ice to unionist*; to compel factories to label nil goods with the name and place of manufacture. The conference resolved that in all vacancies in the Government servx-e the advertised age limit be abolished, and that names be submitted to the ballot after examination a= to fitness for the position. It was further re-olved to request the Government to amend the Conciliation and I Arbitration Act in the direction of making it compulsory for the curt to Rive a de ci-!.>n within 30 day-, of the closing of the r^^n pvohibumtr the di- r harge of unionists I if cap3bl° workmen, whether rpplacd by union'-*- o t non-uiiiOPist-, unle 1 -- 1 for slackj iif-- of work A resolution was adopted nrgincr the Trailns Council to nlaco b( fore candidates i for Parliament each ltnn passed by the I c-onference, an<l ascertain their opinion"; ! the rouneiK. thioush the pr^s-,, to dec'are ■ which candidate for each eli-ctcrate they are n> favour of Mr Hood, of Otac;o. va« responsible for l'rinping forward the motion in favour of 1 compulsory State fire insurance, which was

passed'at the Trdae= and Labour Conference. In his opinion, enough had been put forward in connection with State organisations to show that this should be one of thorn. Mr Ferguson (Otago) thought the best way would be to allow the State to enter into competition with other companies, just in the same way as they did at present vv lib life insurance. He did not think that everyone should be compelled to insure. —Mr Rosser (Auck'and) looked on insurance companies as another form of the trusts and combines which the conference had condemned. He considered that the recent increase in premiums, said to have been rendered necessary by losses the companies had sustained, was out of all proportion to those losses. —Several other delegates supported the motion, vvh.ch was unanimously adopted in the form originally put —" For the transaction of all fire insurance business in this colony." Mr M'Cullough (Canterbury), who moved that vacancies in the civil service be advertised and the names submitted to a ballot after an examination as to fitness, said it was an abominable thing that a man should have to go to a mere politician, who knew absolutely nothing about the man's qualifications, to get nominated for a billet Any right-minded man must deplore such a state of affairs. He could state from bis own knowledge that it obtained in the railway service, and he wos assured it was so in all the departments of the state. April 6. Mr O'Regan's letter with regard" to the settlement of South Africa came up for discussion. Mr Naughton (Wellington) moved that the letter be referred to the Colonial Councils for their consideration. Mr Betts (Westiandt moved as an amendment —"That the Premier be a«ked to urge upon the Colonial Secretary when he is in England — (1) That the mines in South Africa be reserved solely for white labour; (2) that large areas of land be allocated for the sole use of the natives: (3) that thp sale of liquor by private dealers be prohibited — liquor to be sold only by the Government." The amendment was lost, the original motion being carried. The conference resolved —"That this conference very much regrets to see in a number of recent decisions of the Arbitration Court the principle of preference to unionists has been departed from." " That this ronference thanks the Government for having passed tho State Coal Mines Act and amendments re inspection of mines and the Factories Act last session." It was decided to hold the next sitting of the conference at Greymouth. The conference having concluded, the delegates were entertained this afternoon by Mr Witheford, M.H.R., at his residence, Northcote.