LABOUR ITEMS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2763, 18 April 1900, Page 2

LABOUR ITEMS.

TRADES CONFERENCE.

Per Tress Association.

WELLINGTON, April 17.

The report of the executive of the Trades Conference, after referring to the legislation of last session and the necessity for amending the Factories Bill, refers to the Arbitration Act as the sheet anchor of Trades Unions. In view of Mr Justice Edwards’ decision, strong representations should be made to the Government to bring all Unions under the provisions !of the Act, as the executive was firmly convinced that the legislature never anticipated such a narrow interpretation of the term “industrial.” Other amendments are also required. Reference is made to a case now before the Courts, regarding preference o! employment to Unionists, and the opinion is expressed that funds can easily be raised to take it if necessary to the Privy Council. A resolution was passed that the Act should be amended in the direction of making it accessible to all workers; that any employer be> ginning business subsequently to an Industrial award or agreement should be bound by it; that Unions should be permitted under the Arbitration Aet to grant clearances to members leaving an industrial district' for another district; that counsel should be prohibited from appearing at the hearing of disputes; and that the original title of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, namely, “ An Act to encourage the formation of Unions,” should be reinstated. A motion that the Government should be asked to amend the Act, so as to make preference of employment for Unionists compulsory, was carried with only one dissentient, who thought that the Unions would be kept more up to the mark if they had to fight for preference, and that if compulsory it might be abused. Most of the afternoon was taken up by the Trades Conference in considering further amendments required in the Act. It was agreed that sittings of the Arbitration Court should be held at intervals of not more than three months. A proposal that awards should apply throughout the whole industrial district evoked considerable discussion, as some members held that an award might be fair enough for one place, but not for another. Eventually the motion was amended to provide only for an award in the chief centre of a district applying

and miners were exempted. The Factories Act was next considered. It was resolved that the hours of labour for females and for boys should not be more than eight hours per day, and four hours on Saturday, and permits for overtime on Saturday should be abolished; that there should be a compulsory weekly half-holiday for adults ; that all workers in factories should be compelled te come under the Act,