LABOUR CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 81, 30 December 1907, Page 7

LABOUR CONFERENCE

' — fFURTHER NATIONALISATION V PROPOSALS. : ARBITRATION AND THE COST OF. • LIVING, ! STATE DOCTORS PROPOSED. (BY TELEGRAPH —PItESS ASSOCIATION'.)' Chrlstchurch, December 28. ! Tho Political Labour League Conference resumed to-day. A motion to omit the word "Independent" from the titlo of the Leaguo, carried yesterday, was recommitted for further consideration. A motion to reinsert the word was lost. • r It was resolved that in the opinion of the. conference tho Mining Act should be amen-: ded, making it illegal to work , miners be-' ' tween tho hours of 12 midnight and 8 a.m. ' REGULATION OF RENTS AND PROFITS..] At tho annual conference of the Political Labour League, Mr.' Horning moved the following remit on the same subject"That it, 1 is "urgontly necessary that an Act be passed i to empower tho Arbitration Court to fix !J rents, interests, and, profits, as otherwise, the • regulation of wages is a farce." He said that it seemed necessary that something further should bo done to curtail the extor- 1 tionato demands of landlords and others. Mr. Brown seconded, and said that the Court's awards made; no provision for increases in the cost of living and of rent during the currency o£, an award, so that ) wages bore no relation whatever to the price of commodities and lent. He did not wishi ' the Court to be abolished, but at present it was incomplete and half developed. Its; powers would have to bo extended, and ad- I. aitional presidents would have to bo appointed. "' ■ ' • V Mr. Campbell contended that the Court . as at present constituted consisted of two '■ representatives of the employers, as the man appointed by the Government was reared as' a Conservative. Tho chairman should be ' elected by the people. i Mr. Chapman described tho proposals of the motion as a short cut to a happy state * of affairs, but' it was a short cut that ended in a blind alley. Wliilei the land and the s means of production remained in/ t private Ifands, Parliament would simply bo playing, tho fool in attempting to regulato profits, ; interest, routs, ana tho price of commodities., ' The Aruitration Court had proved a dismal ' ( failure, and tho only way-to solve tlm question wis the nationalisation of tho. landr and the means of production. Mr. AVebb took a similar view. V Tile President expressed surprise that the . motion had been brought forward. The only way to deal with the, matter satisfactorily; was by public ownership of tho ineans of pro- 1 duction. : ■'• , '. Mr; Breen considered, that it would be'■ unwiso to extend the powers of tho Court in the direction iiiuicated, and be himself > was satisfied that the Court had served its '-' day. It would not be wise to trust the Courti further. ' ! '■■■•• V •Mr. ■ Sullivan moved as an amendment, ; " That this conference affirms its convictioii. that the only way to regulato interest, profit, and rent, and ensure increased spending-;, powcr; to -the, workers, is by the entrance-j into industry of tlio people themselves." He J said that the President of the-Court was. so » fai: as; the' workers are- concerned, re-., actionary, and not in sympathy with them.' i Mr. ..Douglas seconded the amendment, \j and said that if the motion was.agreed t0,,.l it would have the effect ~of. placin 1 - the\ workers ill bonds for 250.years. ! Mr. Campbell said that they were going to get nationalisation in ten years, and he believed that the members of the League would lie the men who would run tho country ten years hence. Mr. Breen said he knew, that tho present President!,of tho Court Was very sympathetic towards, tho workers, but was bound down by so many'ostablished precedents that lie was unable to show, that sympathy us fully as lie might. When ho' — got going they would get better results from . ,the Court. At the sajuo time lie (tho 1 speaker) maintained .that they had very little more to expect from that tribunal.'-. , Tho President said that they did not want to abolish the Court and revert; to the old system;'of strikes. The Court-,' and all s.vs-> terns of conciliation; of industrial councils,, and of strikes, had proved inadequate, and had not settled the problem, and were not going to do so. ' ". 1 Mr. Howard contended that the expressions Of opinion from Unionists in . favour of the Court,' which, had. been published in ( the locaP press, had been obtained from '. selected' Unionists, ' and did not represent the, of. tho, majority. , ' '> Mr. Brown said that the reason whybetter results were not obtained from the. Court was that the workers did not take a;' live interest in - the matters before it, and!,, did not force their views on the community, generally. - The amendment was agreed to. ' \ ' STATE FARMS ADVOCATED. Mr. Sullivan moved: "That the Government establish State farms close to all the . industrial' centres, where a man can demand tho right to work." • Mr. Webb seconded, and said that such! - farms would provo the'death-blow to 'the llour trust. , . .' Mr. Chapman thought that tho principle of the. right of everyone to work should be affirmed, and State farms would form one of the means of providing work, but State workshops should also be provided. ' 1 -Mr. llrov/n referred- to the non-success of tho State farm at Levin, and urged that the' ' farms contemplated ill the motion should' bo established on lines that would ensure their success. , _ • Mr. Breen said that the motion should affirm the principle of- the right to work, s the State to engage in all forms of industry,i| Ho moved as an 'amendment': "That the* Government immediately extend the func. tions of the State for the purpose of sup-" plying to the peoplo the necessaries of life, and as a first step in that direction establish State farms, and State flour mijls." The amendment was agreed to. : - ' 1 THE RIGHT TO WORK. It -was 1 further 'agreed: That this Con-* ference affirms that the' principle of the right to obtain work should he extended to every citizen, and that it .bo tho duty of tho State to-provido-work for overy citizen. , whtf applies for it." <■ ; . The President moved: "That it bo an'instruction to tho incoming executive to pre- , pare a schemo for submission to. the branches by which tho principle 'of tho right to obtain work can bo operated." Ho said that they wanted the right to obtain work to extend to every line of industry. Mr. Webb seconded the motion. Mr. Chapman contended that tho unemployed should bo employed in the work to which they wero adapted. Men at present were unemployed becauso in some instances their fellows worked too long. If by working eight hours all tho workers in an 'industry wero not employed, then it would be ' possible to reduco the hours of labour. ' Air. Campbell said that speaking from two years' experience, the railway co-operative works of tho country had been, brought into disrepute amongst good navvies, becauso if a man was an agitator in fnvour of the Leaguo he was not allowed to earn half. It was no uso rushing into tho matters referred to in tho motion until they had a sympathetic Government in power. Mr. Brown thought the discussion was getting too thcorotical, and they were neglecting matters of practical utility. The motion was agreed to by eleven to tbreo. NATIONALISING MEDICAL PROFESSION. Mr. Cobbo (Ashbourton), moved: "That the Government provide free doctors and mcdiciuo for tho peoplo." Mr. Campbell seconded the motion, but ,thought that the wording should be altered to tho "nationalisation of tho medical profession." It was their aim to nationalise everything. Mr. Chapman said that the reform was very necessary in view of tho high charge •' made by the profession. Mr. A^hman kv ,said r nodical men (

did riofc refuse to attend patients who wero. unable to. pay. . .. Mr. Brown thought .the motion, should be altered (Jo indicate that - froe. doctors and medicine should, bo provided for those who could not afford to pay. for the same. , Ho moved an amendment to that effect. Mr; Chapman said that nondiscrimination should bo made. . The amendment, was negatived and tho Voiion was agreed to. c- ■ i ' BIGGER OLD/AGE PENSIONS. Mr.. Mupro moved: That the .Old Age l'easion ' Act bo t.amended . by . increasing tho passion to at' least 12s. 6d. a week, ■ arid maidng it payable at sixty years of age, anij unconditional in all respects, except as to tiino of residence.'"- ■ He thought,'that it woald bo .ono of the strongest plants .of their platform. . * . '. ,-■■■':■ ■ilr. ; Wobb .seconded/'.- and suggested /that the additional cost could be paid out of; tlio railways. . . Mr. - Campbell thought that 12s. 6d. was not too-much, an"d he hoped it would ultimaSely be raised to ill. : .'-Mr. Sullivan : said that the. 'present' pension; was a niggardly sum to pay. to veterans of industry. The funds for- the increased pensions l should be obtained by increasing . ths'income tax 'of' those "for whom the vetervnfl of industry had " slogged and slaved." 'Sbe motion was carried, amidst,applause. - A PLANK ALTERED. . Hr. Howard moved tho deletion of tho fqUowing from the fighting platform: "The Industrial, Conciliation, and Arbitration Act to apply to State employees." < 'file President seconded, and stated that the reason for' the; motion was that the League did not: want- to alienato the sympathy of GOOO railway employees who did not .Want to como under the Act. : Hhe -motion was -agreed to.. : - ' INDEPENDENCE.OR ALLIANCE ? Mr. -Chapman moved, arid Mr., Brown seconded,' " That tho branches be allowed' raore freedom in regard-, to 1 local elections -T ith power to form tbmporary ; . alliances ti promote, the objects of the.• League:" . ..Objection was-.taken. to the motion on-the ground-that it would defeat the objects of the Irtvagne. . • Mr. Campbell said that if the' moJion was' passed the' League would 'become tho -laugh-, lng-stock of the-country. Mr. Ashman, sup-" ported - the motion, and urged- ;that tho ILaaguo should; riot - oppose candidates .who ware good/.Labour members •simply' because thoy do. not - belong to the- Leagued " They should : go •to -Huirunui, Ellesmere, and Koiapoi,-, and other places that aro not solid for labour; ' " * - Mr..Howard said that the League would have to disband if the motion was; agreed to. The labour members alluded to'by the .previous speaker were ready 'to ' join- the Loague if the clause preventing any member ' of the party taking a Ministerial position' was deleted. The Leagno wanted to prevent' self-seeking. ■: ■ . Mr.-Sullivan said'that the motion-went •against the vital principle of the League, which was that the people's representatives were delegates sent to Parliament to'register the will of tho people.. . Mr. Brown explained that the power was only required for special occasions, and to. £ravent an Oppositionist slipping in between iberal and Labour candidates. The President strongly opposed tho motion, , and said that, if they wanted to be. independent, they must bo independent not only of''. Liberals and Conservatives; but also of independent; free , lances. . ,The independent man, who-professed to believe'in democratic principles. arid at \tho same time is the bond slave of a .Government that belibvb; in; those principles, l was the' Worst -enemy that Labour had. 'If the inotion was agreed ■ to,'he would look round for some other field for his political activity. He wanted a straight-out independent Labour party, and nothing else; would satisfy him'. He was, ho said, violently opposed to all shades of Liberalism, and would go, for straight-out revolutionary .Socialism."-/ Mr.-Chapman cited the, experience of-the Wellington branch, whose four candidates at the General, Election polled . 1800 , between them, but when they allied themselves wit ', the trades unions tho Labour candidate, at the municipal election got, 4300 votes. The idea was to bring the trades unions; into line, instead of leaving them to support Opposi-. tion or Government .candidates. In Wellington the League had set up a Labour Ropre- • sentation Committee, to wnich: trades unions, the Socialist party, tho Labour Society, and similar organisations were invited. \ The President asked, whether candidates selected, by such , a-' method would sign tho League's pledge. , , , Mr. Brown said that they would sign tho pledge drafted by the Labour Representation Committee. The motion was, negatived by 8 to 6. ; ■ , OTHER BUSINESS. Tho incoming oxecutive was empowered to appoint a colonial organiser:, to organise the workers throughout tho ' country 5 in- the interests'of the Political Labour League. . It was decided that the next conference bo held in Auckland next Christmas. ; ' -It was resolved —"That this . conference condemns tho action of tlio Minister for Education' in sanctioning the flogging of girls." ;. ■ A motion by the President to revert to the erigirial plank qf . tho League's platform regarding land reform' was /negatived - by V votes' to 4. ;•; . /1 ■ fBT TEI.EGBAPH—SPECIAi , COBBESPONDENTi) . Christcliurch, December 2S. To students of polities' and political economy the discussions at the conference qf the Political Labour League aro jintefestirig, and even amusing. There " are sixteen deleat the conference, including the. secretary, and they deal with economic: problems with, an. ease; and airiness that takes ono's breath away.'.. . ; . Mr. ,J. Brown, of Wellington, attempted to ' get the ' conference ' yesterday to agree with " Th'at,;in"tllo interests of the noniinunity. generally, the'functioris bestowed flii the' Arbitration, Court last session by'tho Monopoly . Prevention Act be : extended to give it;power to regulate the price: of all commodities produced and intended for. sale in New Zealand." Mr. Brown admitted that bis branch., had riot agreed to this, but had raised no objection to the'..matter' before' the conference; The motion .was ruled out of order.