THE LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 267, 4 August 1908, Page 4

THE LABOUR CONFERENCE.

A REPLY TO CRITICS.. ' ;In our'..issuo pf yesterday ; there appeared' a'.tplegraphed report of-a scathing' criticism 1 , by tho Hon.' John Barr, 'M.L.C.-,'of some of tho methods adopted at tho Conference' of.' Trades and Labour Council delegates held recently in Wellington. Tho'Hop., Mr. Barr is credited with having slated, among! other, things,, that'-,.,,th0. Canterbury ■ delegates, i- risrs. Hart and Rusbridge, wero grossly ■insulted sit. tho Conference, and. this- insult 'was reflected uptin* the Canterbury Trades' and" Labour Council.""Mi 1 . Barr also declared .that-tho .."Reactionaries'.' at the-Coiiforenco voiped a vory- small minority of Canterbury unionists. , . , ' Mr. D. M'liaren, Secretary'to tho. AVatcrsido _ AA'orlcors' Federation, and ono of the Wellington delegates, at tho Trades'and Labour Conference, said that Unionism was well represented at tho Conference. That Canterbury and Dunedin —especially Canterbury—had its views represented, by. tho .Conference,. continued' Mr. M'Larcn, taking a .paper put of his pocket, would bo seen from.' tho folipjying telegram from Mr. Thorn, pno of tho Canterbury delegates:—' "Canterbury Trades Ceuncil enderses ' Cenfprcnce decision's regarding antistrike, Conciliation Councils,. etc., by at least 50 majority. Great down-fall for the.'Lib-Labs.'" Sir. E. J. Carey, Secretary to tho Cooks' and Waiters' Union, said that tho opinions expressed by the Hon. John Barr were tho opinions of an individual. They certainly did not express tho opinion of tho Canterbury Tratles and Labour Council. If tho Hon. Air. Barr, who was a member of tho Canterbury .Trades and Labour Council, desired to express his views as a delegate at tho Conference' ho should havo stood for election as a delegate from his Council. His olfaction would have thou been tantamount to an endorsement, by the Canterbury. Council,' of his views, and whatever ho might havo said at tho Conference wnuld havo been representative of his Council.