ADTERNOON SITTING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12289, 23 June 1903, Page 7

ADTERNOON SITTING.

The Conference icsumed at 1 30 p.m.

AN EXPLANATION.

Mr Boddie explained in reference to some confusion which had existed at the commencement of >lie C-^nlerence that the fault lay not. so much with the* Executive Secretary , Facts had since come 1 out which pointed to the fact that branch secretaries had received notices but had not sent them on to members interested, and thus the trouble had arisen.

CO-OPERATIVE LABOUR. Mr Friday (for Ngaire) moved : "' That the Conference be asked to discuss co-oporative- labour matters, /or the-\rea§ons that it is too' expensive, slow, and unsatisfactory." "He referred to the undue cost of works under ;the co-operative syste:n.

Mr Davidson seconded.

Mr Coleman considered the system X'ad .c&lly. „ wrong, • ,He instauced the case of a viaduct on the Main Trunk Railway for which a contract price of £47,000 was quoted. This the Government considered too high. It had now been built by co-operative labour at a cost of £73,000.

The President said there was really no motion before the Conference. Mr Friday then moved, " That the co-operative labour" system be abolished." . , \ . , ." Mr BelcHer seconded. Mr Parlane moved as an amend-* meat, " That the present co-operative labdur system of carrying out public works is unsatisfactory and should be replaced wherever practicable by asystern of small contracts." He considered the principle was good enough if confined to letting work in small quantities. Messrs Mackie arid Boddie spoke iri a similar strain. Mr Waite seconded. 'Mr :I?orsyth thought the passing of the resolution might look like a vote of censure o» the party in power.

Mr Davidson was not opposed to cooperative labour, but to the manner in which it was administered by the Government of the dayAfter some further discussion the amendment was carried by 19 to 7.

STRUCK 0 UT. A River lea remit, " That this Conference strongly protest against any preference being given to Lnionists as against^ non-unionists," was struck out. ARBITRATION AND CONCILIATION

ACT. Mr Voullaire (Jtiverlca) moved "That the Colonial Council be requested to impress upon the Government that the cost of the administration of the Arbritation and Conciliation Act be paid by those using it, and not out of the consolidated revenue of the colony."— Carried.

DAIEY FACTORY COMPANIES.

Mr G. T. Allen (Patea West) moved: , " That a special Act is necessary dealing with dairy companies, as the pieseat Companies Act is not applic- j able." . * ' This was seconded by Mr Parlane, j and after some discussion carried almost unanimously. ;

TELEPHONE COMMBNIOJfc TION.

Mr Friday (Matau) moved : •' That the Government be urged to provide telephone accommodation in the back blocks centres, if only. in. justice to the settlers in case of accident." This- was carried without discussion.

This completed the business on the Order Paper, at 2.30 p.m. NEXT MEETING.

It -was decided to leave the place of meeting for the nekt Provincial Conference in the hands of the Executive.

THANKS. On Mr Rickards' motion, seconded by Mr Mackie, a vote of thanks to the Executive of the past year was carried by acclamation. A vote of thanks to the Borough, Council - for ' the use of , the ' Counoil . Chamber was also carried.

RECORD OF PROCEEDING iy

The question or printing a record of the procfe'edings of the Conference was left in the hands of the Executive.

EXPERIMENTAL FARM.

The President moved, to re-affirm a recommendation, from the Colonial Ex- ; ecutive, " That* the' Government be urged to establish an experimental dairy station in the most accessible centre of the North Island." Mr J. G. Wilson, President of the Colonial Council, briefly outlined the advantages of such an institution. Mr Boddie seconded the motion, and the Conference formally closed.