PROPOSED CONFERENCE OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES, SUMMARY OF REPLIES TO INVITATIONS TO, AND SUGGESTED SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION AT.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1905 Session I, H-11b

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1905. NEW ZEALAND.

PROPOSED CONFERENCE OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES, SUMMARY OF REPLIES TO INVITATIONS TO, AND SUGGESTED SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION AT.

Laid on the Table of the House of Bepresentatives by Leave.

PROPOSED CONFERENCE OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.

Summary of Replies received from Industrial Unions of Employers. President of New Zealand Employers' Federation, Dunedin. —Majority vote of federation opposed to Conference at present, as scope too wide, and too late to legislate this session. Matters were too important to be dealt with summarily. Secretary, Employers' Association, Auckland. —Owing to importance of subjects, Association considers it unwise to hold Conference until early in new year. Secretary, Employers' Association, New Plymouth. —Association will endeavour to send delegates, but considers it rather late in session to hold Conference. Manawatu Employers' Association, Palmerston North. —Approves of Conference, and accepts invitation, and suggests six items for discussion. Suggests Wellington as meeting-place. President, Wairarapa Employers' Association, Masterton. —Considers great benefit to be derived from the suggested Conference. Has appointed two delegates. Wellington Employers' Association, Wellington.—Cannot give definite reply, but considers date proposed altogether too early. Marlborough Employers' Association, Blenheim. —Invitation to Conference accepted, and two delegates will be sent. Approves of Christchurch as meeting-place. Nelson Employers' Association, Nelson.—Association considers that it would be desirable to hold Conference after New Year. Boot-manufacturers' Association, Christchurch.—Cordially approves of Conference, and will appoint delegates. Suggests Christchurch as place of meeting. Southland Employers' Association, Invercargill.—Considers time not opportune, as no legislation could be passed this session. Conference should be held early next year, when Association will send delegates.

Summary of Replies received from Provincial Industrial Associations of Employers. Wellington Provincial Industrial Association, Wellington.—Approves of proposed Conference, and will send two delegates. Christchurch approved of as meeting-place. Canterbury Provincial Industrial Association, Christchurch.—Association will gladly co-operate. Considers notice too short to give that consideration to questions involved which the importance of meeting demands. Christchurch undoubtedly suitable as meeting-place. ("Note. These are the only two Provincial Industrial Associations now in existence in the colony.]

Summary of Replies received from Farmers' Unions. President, Farmers' Union (J. G. Wilson, Esq., Bull's).— Executive are, so far, against Conference as at present suggested. (14/10/05.) Secretary, Waikato Farmers' Club, Cambridge.—Would like to be represented at Conference and asks for an invitation. Reply sent that separate clubs are not being invited, but if a district farmers' union it would be asked to send delegates.

Summary of Replies received from Trades and Labour Councils of New Zealand. Hawke's Bay Trades and Labour Council, Napier.—Considers that present time inopportune, and notice given too shore. Suggests Conference be held at Easter. Wanganui Trades and Labour Council, Wanganui.—Supports Conference, and has elected delegates. Christchurch approved of as suitable meeting-place. Wellington Trades and Labour Council, Wellington.—Agrees to Conference, providing the workers have representation equal to that of the employers and farmers' unions combined. Also approves of Christchurch as place of meeting, but suggests that Conference do not commence earlier than 6th November. Westland Trades and Labour Council, Denniston.—Arranging for delegates to attend Conference. Nelson Trades and Labour Council, Nelson.—lnvitation accepted, and Christchurch also approved as place of meeting. . Canterbury Trades and Labour Council, Christchurch.—Approves of Conference being held in Christchurch, and at as early a date as possible.

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Otago Trades and Labour Council, Dunedin.—Suggests Wellington as suitable meeting-place, and that Conference should be held as early as possible. Considers Government should pay delegates' expenses. Southland Trades and Labour Council, Invercargill.—Will send one delegate to proposed Conference, and council is agreeable to Christchurch as suitable meeting-place.

Summary of Replies received from Mining Companies registered in the Colony as Industrial Unions of Employers. Taupiri Coal-mines (Limited), Auckland.—Will endeavour to send representative, but wishes to know when Conference will take place. Blackball Coal Company, Christchurch.—Company will be pleased co fall in with any reasonable arrangement agreed to by those interested. Secretary, Allandale Coal Company (Limited), Shag Point. —If Conference not held too early, Company will probably be represented at Conference. President, Ocago Gold-mining Union, Dunedin.—Considers that matters are too important to be dealt with in such a hurried manner.

Summary of Replies received from Miners' Unions of Workers registered in the Colony. [Note.—Unions in each province were asked to combine and elect one delegate.] President, Hikurangi Miners' Union, Hikurangi.—Considers North Auckland should be separately represented, as Huntly Union strongest, and could elect one of its own members as delegate. Waihi Miners' Union, Waihi.—Will send delegate. Wishes to know date of Conference and length of sitting. Thames Miners' Union, Thames.—lf only one delegate allowed from district, union will not be represented. Union considers Thames and Waihi miners should send delegate each. Denniston Coal-miners, Denniston.—Things not yet settled. Will advise later. Secretary, Inangahua Miners, .Heefton. —Regrets that time too short to arrange for delegate to attend Conference. Homebush Collieries Union, Glentunnel.—Wishes to know business to be discussed at Conference before taking action. Secretary, Otago Coal-miners, Kaitangata.—Suggests that eight delegates from Miners' Union be invited—two from West Coast, two from Waihi, one from Waikato, one from Whangarei, and two from Otago. Otago and Southland Gold-miners, Dunedin.—Regrets union's inability to discuss Conference, owing to absence of secretary.

The following subjects were suggested for discussion at the Conference : — By Industrial Unions of Employers. Manawatu Employers' Association.—Protection of New Zealand industries against foreign competition. Wages and restrictions imposed upon employers. Preference to unionists. As to whether Labour Day should be treated as a holiday. The advisability of paying labour by the hour irrespective of trades. Alien labour. Universal Wednesday half-holiday. Boot-manufacturers' Association.—Trusts, and their effects in the restriction of trade. Tariff. General relationship of employer and employed as affected by Acts of Parliament or otherwise. By Industrial Associations. Wellington Provincial Industrial Association.—That, in the interests of the employers and employees engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements, it is desirable that legislation should be promoted to restrict the operations of foreign " trusts " engaged in the distributing of agricultural implements in the colony. Do our labour laws retard or facilitate the development of our industrial and labouring interests? Have the conditions of the workers improved in consequence of the advanced legislation now in operation ? Have the conditions imposed by recent legislation had a prejudicial effect by restricting the employment of the youth of the colony? The desirableness of State employer and employee contributing to compulsory insurance. Amending of tariff in the interests of local manufactures. Is it desirable that the State should enter into further commercial and industrial enterprises? Accident insurance. Compulsory insurance. Arbitration Act Amendment. Holidays. Preference to unionists. Government being under the labour laws of the colony. By Trades and Labour Councils. Wanganui.—Suppression of foreign trusts. Limitation of apprentices. Nationalisation of colonial trusts. Restriction of Asiatic immigrants. Nelson. —Nationalisation of all mineral wealth—iron, coal, oil, &c. All goods made in New Zealand to be stamped "Made in New Zealand." Canterbury.—Preference to unionists. Co-operative Industries Encouragement Bill. Tariff. Would a reduction of wages of the workers tend to benefit the manufacturing industries of the colony ? That, in the event of the Government putting a prohibitive tariff on foreign goods which can be manufactured in the colony, the manufacturers shall support a Bill giving the Government power to fix profits so far as not allowing the profits to exceed 6 per cent., 7 per cent., or 8 per cent.: Government officials to have power to examine books for this purpose at any time. Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (1,425 copies). £\ 7s. 6d.

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