UNITED LABOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 3

UNITED LABOUR.

RAILWAYMEN STAND ALOOF. The recent national conference of the Amalgamated Society of Railwaymen, represent! ng over 6000 men of the second division of the railway service, decided that their organisation, the largest single trade union in Now Zealand, ought to become more closely associated with the general labour movement. The conference held the opinion that the best plan was association with Professor Mills and the Trades Councils in the unity scheme. Four delegates were provisionally apEointed, and it was decided to at once ike a ballot of the members. This ple r hiscite, owing to the scattered nature of the society's membership, is not yet complete, but the result, tho Wellington correspondent of the LyttelioTi Times understands, is so definitely against having anything to do with the unity scheme that it has not been thought worth the whole of the provisional-delegates to attend the conference now in progress. One lar"-e brancli of the Amalgamated Society (Thoradon) passed a resolution in favour of the scheme, but accompanying its report in the society's official journal are statements from Oamaru, Timaru, Paeroa, Balclntha, and Woodville, all of which decided against. The attitude generally taken was expressed by Woodville. which stated that the ballot was a surprise and members were in the dark as to the proposals. The Railway Review, which forecasts the rejection of the proposal, says : —" It is unfortunate that the ' Unity Conference ' comes on at Easter, thus forcing the ballot to be taken before the members are able to grasp what it all means. The official explanation of the unity scheme sent out with the ballot papers was probably the best explanation available from its chief promoters, but it was too academic, and consequently childishly weak in its practical bearings. It was hardly the thing io appeal to our members, who are in the main practical men, not pining for hazar-< dous excitement. We are nevertheless satisfied tha-t a good case can be made out for close association with what is called ' outside labour,' and that unleeg we do make a vigorous move in that direction thing* tvill drift in the unsatisfactory bomdniirv manner of the past."