THE TRADES COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11995, 23 July 1907, Page 4

THE TRADES COUNCIL.

Wellington, July 2. A deputation representing the Conference of Trades Councils of the Colony, waited on the Hon J. A. Millar to-night to place before him the long list of . resolutions adopted at the last Conference which sat at Dunedim Mr Cooper, the President, said the deputation could claim to voice the opinion of organised labor throughout the Colony. He wished to distinctly state he whole heartedly supported the principle of conciliation as embodied in the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. To some extent the Act had been discredited and rendered inoperative, but the fault lay entirely with the Legislature. The> desired that where employers employing the majority of workmen agreed to recommendations of the Conciliation Board, these recommendations should have the force of an Award; further, . tnat all employers entering into business after an award had been made should be at once made parties to it, and that the Conciliation Boards should have power of amending their recommendations. As they wanted the present Act repaired they opposed the proposals to establish Wages' Boaids. Fifty per cent, of the Unions would not, through inability to get men to servo on the Boards, be able to [avail themselves of its privileges. The resolutions passed at the Dunedin Conference were then submitted to the Minister. The Minister in reply said he hoped during this or next week, to circulate the amending Conciliation Act among the labor Unions. His one object had been to encourage Unionism, and enable facilities to be given to deal with all disputes in a prompt manner. He hoped the] scheme he had advised would enable a breach to be dealt with in four days of it coming to the notice of the Department; It was very easy to talk about a local currency, but when une gut inside and saw the intricacies of finance, " he said it was different. The proposal was not practicable unless the State bought all tbe gold in the Colony and sold it outside. He tried hard to adjust the tariff, so that no industry would be sacrificed for another. The object of putting a specific duty per pair on boots was to do away with the importation of sweated goods. According to one resolution the Conference carried it had constituted itself a political party, and then they asked the Government to advance money for delegates to attend the Conference. If the Government granted it to one they would have to do it to all. The Government^desired to continue the vote, but if the Conference was to be a political organisation they would be simply forced to say no.