LABOUR CONFERENCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18551, 24 April 1930, Page 9

LABOUR CONFERENCE

PROBLEM OF UNEMPLOYMENT. By Telegraph—Pre»* Association. WELLINGTON, April 23. Unemployment was the main topic of discussion at the annual conference of the New Zealand party, which was resumed in the Trades Hall to-day, and the action to be taken regarding the reports of the Government Committee on unemployment was determined. After a lengthy discussion, the Conference decided that an open industrial conference should be called, and from this gathering a committee should be appointed to meet a committee from the New Zealand Labour Party, for the purpose of considering the reports and the recommendations insofar as they affected the welfare of the general public and the workers ot New Zealand, the joint committee to furnish a report of its conclusions to the Parliamentary Labour Party On the same subject, a remit was referred to the Parliamentary Labour Party, suggesting that they should consider the value of a reduction of working hours in Industry as a contribution to minimising the number of unemployed.

The morning session was devoted to a discussion on the question of pro portional representation. The result was a decision to defer for consideration until the next annual conference the motion proposing the deletion of proportional representation from the Party’s platfrom, the national executive being instructed to get into communication with labour and Socialist parties, and other organisations in all countries in which proportional repTesenation is operating, or has operated, with a view to obtaining the fullest information as to the working of the system. The information so collected is to be available to all affiliations at least one month prior to the date of the next conference. The conference in the afternoon carried a remit supporting the repeal of the sections in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, which exempt country councils or road boarah from the general application of awards, and local authorities and public bodies carrying rut relief works from the provisions of awards, industrial agreements or agreements under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act 1913.

It is expected that the conference will conclude its business to-morrow night.