WATERSIDE WORKERS'CONFERENCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12587, 17 August 1910, Page 8

WATERSIDE WORKERS'CONFERENCE.

ARBITRATION COURT CON-

DEMNED

NOTHING TO HOPE FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

( v Por Press Association.) CHR-ISTCfiURCH, August lfi. Tlie annual conference of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation was opened at Lyttelton to-day. The following delegates were present:—: Messrs J. Read (President), W. Bate, 11. Voyce, and T. Lurcli (Lyttelton), D. Casey, and D. McCarthy (Napier)', W. Cas-s (Gisborne), B. Barkley (Timarn), E. Canham, W. Webb, N. Casteli, F. Stanley and J. Sadler (Auckland). T. Lovegrove (Wangumii),' W. Morris, and A. Tuff en (Dune-din), .J. S'-evart (Westport), J. Goodall and J. Jackson (Grcymouth), J. Curtice, J. Dowdall, G. G. Terry and T. Smith (Wellington). After discussion, it was decided by a large majority that the Press be adI mitted. I The President, in his address, said that in opening the fourth annual conl ferenee he was pleased to note the very i keen interest displayed by the various ! branches in the affairs of the Federation. There was also in the varioiis unions indications of a strong spirit of unity which reflected great credit upon members and their officers. Dur- ; ing year several branches had obtained new awards, mainly on the lines of = previous awards, but in no instance had ; a material advance been made. Rather . had it been the intention of the Court , to further load awards with harsh and unjust restrictions. In the light of its late actions the conclusion could not be. resisted that it was the fixed policy or ' the Court to grant no improved conditions to workers and not to give an unbiassed judgment on new claims on their '. merits. The memorandum attached by Judge Sim to the Auckland Waterside j Workers' award to the effect that mem- • bers were responsible for broached cargo, and that the Union must act the

part of police spies to put down broaching of cargo, Avas the most harsh and , arbitrary order ever attached to any I award. Trade on the forefront Avas, generally speaking, at normal, but the , tendency of the surplus of all trades to drift into the A'arious waterside workers' unions kept their Tanks crowded ' and the earning power of members low. Tho remedy for this was a problem that , should receive the conference's most i serious consideration. He could not report that they had made any headway with the Government on matters urged by previous conferences, though they had- repeatedly made representations, i and they were convinced that it Avas the '. policy of Parliament as at present constituted to concede them nothing materially at present by legislation for their betterment, and they were convinced that the workers' only hope was I direct labour representation, i The report urged that the best means be considered to assist the newly-formed Labour Party in the House. , Messrs Canham, Jackson, and Voyce were appointed a sub-committee to draw up standing orders. The report of the organising secretary, Mr D. McLaren, M.P.. stated that he found the, unions at present connected with the Federation were in ' good working order. He found in the case of »SA Teral unions that considerable j.difficulty existed in getting regular . meetings of their members ,and that 1 friction was sometimes caused owing to officers being appointed at small meetings. He had made a compilation of awards and agreements for the purpose of trying to get tho awards under which , the various unions were working teri mmated at the same time, and then by means of a conference to endeavour to arrange one complete scheduled agreemet covering the whole industry and the whole of the ports within the Do- . minion.

The report was adopted. The report of the. secretary (Mr H. Voyco) stated that the demand for labour along the water-front for the past twelve months had not been as keen as for tho corresponding period of the preceding year. All along unions had reported a slackness of work, and aa a. consequence several unions had, gone back in membership. Two new unions had been formed, one at the Bluff and the other at Oamaru. The Government returns showed that the membership in January last was 4240. Of these capitation had been paid on 2737, leaving a balance of 1503 members, represemng r* sum of £75 3s. Something definite should be done in the payment of capitation, as under the present system it was practically impossible to carry out tho work of organisation. It was suggested that the capitation of each union should be assessed at a .shilling a member psr annum, as by these means it would bo possible for the large unions to assist the. smaller unions or the federation. The report was discussed, and it was agreed that printed forms be obtained with the object of getting the secretaries of tho unions to regularly forward returns showing the membership and 'finance of their unions. It was further resolved that an organiser ba sent to the new Southern unions to endeavour to persuade them to affiliate with the Federation. The treasurer presented the balancesheet-, which was considered in committee. A proposal to shorten the order paper was lost by 9 to 10. ■■ . Mr Webb (Auckland) then submitted •.■tho Hist remit, "That a clause be inserted in tits Arbitration Act giving unconditional preference to unionists, thereby relievig the President or Commissioner of discretionary power _in granting or withholding preference." In the discussion, the position of the Labour party with regard to the Auckland East election was incidentally introduced, and th'O conference went into committee in order that the Auckland delegate might place tiie whole matter lie fore the meeting

The conference morrow.

adjourned till to-