TRADES AND LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3030, 10 April 1912, Page 38

TRADES AND LABOUR CONFERENCE.

(Fnoir Our Owx Cobrksponoent.) WELLINGTON, April 2. lhe use of the Parliament Buildings lias been granted for the Trades Councils Conference, which will open at 10 a.m on Easter Saturday. The Wellington delegates are Messrs 3VI. J. Reardon, W. Naughton, P. Muir, and W. Noot. A preliminary meeting of the delegates to the conference, to consider Professor M.lk s unity scheme, will be held in the Trades Hall next Saturday evening, but nntif tn until the Tuesday following, when the opened *'* Conferenoe S> t« ~., . April 6. the annual conference of the Trades Council delegates opened to-day in the Parliamentary Building. The various councils represented when the proceedings opened were :—Wellington—MessrsM. J. Reardon, W. NaughT' ?• Muir, and W - C - N<**; Christhu^T Me66re D - Sullivan. F. Burgovne, R. Whiting, and E. Cordery; Dunedin—the Hon. J. T. Paul and Mr R. Breen; I nverca.rg.il. Mr F. Ford; Hawke's Bav, Mr JJ. Colder; East Coast, Mr D W Coleman; Timaru. Mr J. Reader; Auckland, Mr J. Clark. Delegates to what is known as the Unity Conference, headed by Professor Mills, were also present. Mr Reardon extended to the visiting delegates a hearty welcome to the conference. He said the debberations would be of an important character, one of the principal items for consideration being the unity scheme. Mr G. R, Whiting, senior delegate from Ohristchurch. announced that the annual report and balance sheet would be presented on Monday. The Hon. J. "T. Paul was elected chairman of the conference and Mr W. C. Noot secretary. It was agreed to invite the Minister of Labour to attend the sittings of the conference. There was some discussion as to whether the Trades Council Conference should go on with its business while the Unity Conference was sitting. The delegates pointed out that many of the visitors had appointments to both conferences. Eventually it was agreed that after transacting the formal business the Trades Conned Conference should adjourn in order that delegates might attend the Unity Conference. The delegates to (1) the Unity Conference, (2) the Trades Council Conference, and (3) the Political Labour Party's Conference then met as one body, when about 40 were present. Mr J. M'Cullough (workers' representative on the Arbitration Court) proposed that the Hon. J. T. Paul -should be cliairman. It was, ho said, fitting that the president of th» Trades Councils' Conference should preside at the gathering, which was destined to bring workers together and be an historic event. Mr Paul was unanimously elected. In returning thanks he asked : " Whyare we divided '! Why should we not bo united ? We want to make this an industrial paradise. We want to see evory man and woman in the community living in decent comfort." While they wished Parliament to reflect the aims of the country, they were divided, and reactionary influences had a representation which far out-weighed their importance. He hoped they would be able to set up a common platform which would bring into astnat being these aims and aspirations. Ther» had never been a more important conference in New Zealand. They might in thenext few months have the best Government or the worst Government thit New Zealand ever had. On such an important occasion thev should not be divided. H» eincerelv hoped that in the next Parliament they would have the representation and the influence their numbers entitled them to. Mr D. Sullivan was appointed secretary of the conference. It was agreed af'.or considerable discussion that each delegate present should have one vote. The conference decided that the press phould be admitted, except when the conference is sitting in committee. The conference th<-n resolved to go into committee to discuss the constitution. A welcome was extended to Mrs T. E. Taylor, who represents the Canterbury Housewives' Union.