LABOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14359, 3 February 1911, Page 5

LABOUR.

POLITICAL PARTY CONFERENCE. Press Association—By Tel.—-Copyright. LONDON, Feb. X. The Labour Party's conference at Loicoßtor adopted tho executive's resolution protesting against tho growing armaments, and recommending international arbitration. '

Mr Koir Hardio moved an amendment to consult tho organisod workers of tho world as to the utility of a general strike, as a moans of prevents iug any given war. Tho amendment was rejected by 125 to 119. Mr Jarvis declared that if wars between countries wore inhuman so wore labour wars. If they condomned militarism thoy ought to provide a moans of dofonce. Messrs Shaw, Clitheroe, Austen and Hondcrsqn, members of tho House of Commons, strongly opposed a general strike. Tho conference urged tho Government to ondeavour to prevent the capturo of private property during maritime warfare. It was roportod to tho Conference that tho membership has decreased by 50,000 owing to tho Osborne judgment. Tho parliamentary fund at tho beginning of tho yoar stood at £14,000.' i NEW EMIGRATION SCHEME. Received, 9.15 p.m., Feb. 2nd. LONDON, Fob. 2. Several English trade unions hare been oonsidoring proposals to select ft | limited number of eligible mombers to i go to Australia, where work is repre- | sonted to bo available. J Twenty or thirty plasterers will prohj ably leave shortly for Sydney. Over- ! tures were made to the Stonemasons' Union for men to go to Australia, but I tho Union purposes communicating with j Melbourne and Sydney before acting. | LABOUR CONFERENCE. I W. C. Robinson in his presidential address at tho Leicester Labour Conference, said they could not acoept assurance against unemployment through sickness, or other palliatives, I as a substitution for the right to work 1 guaranteed by the State, i The Conference recorded its indignation at the recent executions in Japan, j A proposal to allow tho party's enn- ! didatfcs to appear before tho constituencies as labour and socialifft, instead of 1 labour candidates only, was rejected; ias was also a resolution iivtsndcd to | stiffen the attitude of labour members j of Vjjwlianvent against Ministerial proa- ; sure. | REDUCING HOURS.

Jtooeired 12.10 . a.m., Fob. 3rd. MELBOURNE, Fob. 2. The Melbourne and GeelonE Harbour Trust has adopted a forty-four hours week for all labour. It is claimed tliat tliis is tho first public body to reduco hours to forty-four. THE MIDLAND DISPUTE. Per Press Association. CHItISTCfIURCH, Fob. 2. A conforenco was hold last mglit between Mr McLean and several of tho Union officials, thoso present bemg Messrs Somplo (organiser of tho_ r>mv Zealand Federation of Labour), Webb (prusidont of the Federation), Armstrong (secretary of tho West. Coast General Labourers' Union), and Prince (local secretary of tho Union). J-ho conference, which was a private onc j was hold at Mr McLean's house, and lasted for about three hours. Tho result communicated to the Press was that a meeting between Mr McLean and tho men is to be hold to-day. Tlio unionists aro very hopeful of a settlement being arrived. at.

A SETTLEMENT ARRIVED AT. The conference between Sir McLean and of the 'tunnel workers resulted in a compromise) on the principal point at ia>ue. tiou of tlio Union by the contractors is stipulated, and when a dispute arocs the matter will be first ltud before them by the men, and in the event of tin men being dissatisfied with tlio decision arrived at, they are to have tno right to call in the Union, and its otticials would bo recognised by the contractors. „ .. - Mr Semplo stated after the conlerenco that lie would advise tlio men to return to work, as the main point had been conceded. At a - meeting to-night the men accepted tho compromise, and a resolution was carried, almost unanimously, expressing the men's willingness ti\ re. tu/ to work, seeing that tlio Union iwd been rooognisnd. It is practically a foregone conclusion that the Bealey men wil< endorse the Otira resolution and "that work will be rv??ramod at both ends of tho t\jnnel at 4 a.m. '