LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8038, 27 January 1906, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

SPEECH BY THE PREMIER. IMPERIAL CONFERENCE TOST. POXED. THE LABOUR PARLIAMENT. EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATIONS CRITICISED. PKii riiKss association.

Paiiiatta, .lanuary 2(>. (In the occasion of a sociai tendered te Mr 1!, )!. lioss. member for Palliatua to-night, til which Messrs. Hornhy iiiul ITall. M.'s.H.l!., were also present, the Premier referred lo (lie nuliject of tin! Imperial Conference, which was to liuvc been held this year. At tlxo last Conference of Prime Ministers, it was derided that Conferences should lie held not later than four years and not less limn three years. A memorandum was received from Mr LytteUon, Into Secretary of State for the Colonies,

asking for tlic views of the Premiers oil this mutter, and the replies of Mr Dcakin (Federal Prime Minister) and liiniself were to the effect that they were quite willing to attend a conference, but stating that it was desirable to hold the conference early in the year. Mr Lyttcltou then suggested that in view of the dissolution of the Imperial Parliament, the conference 1 should lie postponed. The election of a new Government at Homo had since rendered the postponement of the conference necessary, Mr Seddon 1 said he received n communication : from Mr Dcakin in December to the effect that, there was no objection tfi a postponement, and at a meeting of the Cabinet in ton yesterday it was decided Zealand also had no objection to ponement of conference. this decision was not in accord the decision of the previous ConferenjH it was in the interests of the colon® and the Mother Country. The onm' come ol the Conferences would, lie be' lim ed, he the formation of an Imperial ' Council which would be in touch with the people, and add to the strength of the Empire. Many dilliculties and dangers would be removed by the formation of such a Council.

Rcf erring to the proposed Labour and Industrial Parliament, he said the Government had decided to abandon it, and he adversely criticised the action of Employers' Associations regarding it. He deeply regretted that tlie.se Associations had refused to meet the Labour Unions, but the Associations had weakened their ease, and the moral effect would be that the people would have a much higher opinion of the Labour Unions, whose case would be strengthened. He deplored the attitude certain labour representatives had taken up in asking that their expenses be paid by the Government,.but llu* attitude was no indication of the feeling of workers generally.