LABOUR IN COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 430, 12 February 1909, Page 5

LABOUR IN COUNCIL

AN APOLOGY DEMANDED. PROTEST AGAINST CLIQUE DOMINATION. RUMOURS OF DISAFFECTION. :S Tho weekly meeting of tho- Trades and ; -Labour; Council -washeld last,night, Mr. G. H,':Lightfoot presiding 'over a good attendanco of delegates. : Beforo the minutes woro" read, tho chair- , man remarked that a ; letter mado rcforencoto him,' and ho ;Would •.vacate tho ohair, Mr. W. Noot/ vice-president, then became .chairman. ' • -. A-letter was received from the secretary • of the Plastorors' Union complniiiing-that Jlr. Lightfoot, president of ;tho Carpenters' Union, ■; had used his influciico with the Labour Department to got a oortain man a pormit to - .work. Tho,man~mado application to pay for membership,' but ho iW'ps:-refused'-admittance' as ho could'uot show that ho was a competent tradesman, but to givo him; a. chanoo :.r to .prove that )io ..wae a competent man,. ho was given a provisional permit, and members - could obsorvo : his ability, Mr. Lightfoot , should mind his own business, and. not interfere with things.that did not concern him.or his union. . , A Protest. Upon a .motion to deal with the letter in; committee. Mr. M. J. Reardon -rosQ'"in;pro< to',adiuit':the. press= ; to^meetiugs^caniQ^uprjnany., of .'us opposed* it.' ■ Wo regarded .tho affairs. of assomej thing. Berious,' : and. it was not'".wise::for,.ithe.':,world' at. large , to. f know our business. . Now. during tho last ■. fow weeks tho press has boen admitted, and .upon;the,'last;occasioha sccno occurred which las been tho' cause .of the sneers ' and. jeers: . of . the Tory .press from end to. end'of. this : Dominion. ' (Hear, hear;) :r- I think it should be resetted exceedingly that this was tho case, but since, it has been the wish of mem- :: borsithat. this-shbnld.ba so, ; .theh Labour must' bite,the dust.before,it begins to:improvo-its : position.'. (Hear,-hear.) ; There oan be no 'Batisfaotory.jreformvinjthis'organisation: until , such.'.timo.ias it-is learned ,by bitter esperi- ■ enco:the:: folly of. allowing : a .little; clique -to :;,doiriinato.::.tho;:'actions':of ■. this - council.'' Tho motion was lost. "The Lie Direct," ■: Mr. Lightfoot > said"l. givo ■ it, tho lie , direct, and, ; demand; an- apology -from ■ that union. v Praotically- all-I havo to pay is that v I have taken precautions to bring witnesses to boar my statement out. As a matter of fact, il know nothing whatever about it,' and I .can jjfovo.my, denial .of .tho charges con-: tamed in that., scurrilous communication. I inn very 'sorry indecd-that.it happened at what, will' possibly/. bomy.last meeting withthis council.- I am disgusted:.with suoh. a communication, particularly after I had dono nothing,to cause them to deem.me.guilty of anything." .'A'membor spoko'in support'of Mr. Lightfoot. :Mr. Lightfoot.,offered\to verify his state-v:inents;_"i^Ei':v-f^^^ : -i.

The Chairman:. It think -justice Bhould bo • done, and .that bo should-bo given every facility. , Mr. Carey .said .that.the denial,must be taken, He moved that- the vice-president andsecretary wait upon the union and give them the denial. I_^ r - Lightfoot: "It is not sufficient for mo; .Thoy .should,, bo, asked to; apologise' to- this council.' I don't care about myself. It is- a iPtetion upon; the president of the conned. ■ As an amendment, he moved that tho UD m n k® asked ,to: apologise to the council.- J The amendment was cawied by 18 to 5. ' A Secession. - 1 i • The secession of the Wellington Operative Bakers', Union was received. , ' ;i.A''voice,: Poor/old'.'AndrW'f ■-.?:'v :i ,remark(id.;th'at.- this'.wiis,hafdly, . a .fair thing ■ after •: the-'.way * they were •:iup. 'I was^ ' bettor ' weVo/awayj'he 1 : thought.; strike arid this:Avas'-tho..way'they returned it. He moved that tho letter bo re^ : • coived and.; acknowledged with "thanks.'? : . - v : |- ri! : .I l ightfoot;_moyed' t-hatMt be:' acknow?' ledrad .with "regret.'.!,^ ; -. . The latter course was decided upon: _ Then n-delegato movW:-".That tho president and: secretary wait upon the: union and Teason : . why . they wished. to sece'de, with a viow to -.cause to.:alter- their .'decision.''. ■; - .r v>f-Mr. : .:A.-'H. .Cooper seconded.-';" : .: He' said that- - nothing ;sho'uld. bo. done , that, looked like dis- • .intogration jitho' council was ■ formed: to con-' BblidofejloJjqMr;;, There;' yereirumours df.idis-! affection;.in' various unions—he' had proof' : ot. this- ;ajid > thoysboTjld go into tlio matter' . and endeavour toi.meet theso unions. •' : : :j: 'A.nothor delegate complained that Mr. Collins, secretary of tho union, was very dictatorial in his manner, and if he .did not -gef X*^^^®diV"li , o7*.tlir<a,teiji'Bd ti>" ;'ge^'" : .Dis T union-to secede.; It was- not. right that one man should have this influenco. Mr._ Cooper's name waa added to the de- , putation,. and .tho"- motion .was ' carried unanimously.

, Fines for Breaohas. Mr. Reyliug moved that the executive draft d reply to the published.rc§olution of tho Employers .. Association drawing comparisons be- . tween'. the .fines imposed/by tho Arbitration Court and tlioso by Dr. M'Arthur. Ho said . -■ the statements raadewere Mr. . .E..;. J.- Carey.' seconded, and. m- '-' i? rr ®H '. , to ". a .'. peculiarity in., that tho.': Labour.v .Department-: almost: alasked .that a fine of £10 be- imposed, all - . Justice Cooper had. rebuked tho DcnartA delegate expressed the opinion that heavy fines would help tho employers to com- .-. pjy more promptly with' tho awards in future. .' ; A *oico; Or put them in gaol. . . . • ' .r. H. Cooper sai'd the number of cases coming before tlio Court had decreased, but. . =4; 9®??-!that.; the: breaches ;had' decreased./ ■the .employers, .iso. far-as; ho could observe, ' been B ° mo ™ law " al>idill S than'thoy .had over. :i -?'"A'joi^^They^re'out; ; to ! --v " ' paid an employer,. continued Mr. • and heavier toes . been inflicted pars.ago..vtodoterininate sentence ?.;-;'Ho didsot say that-, but they should bo punished. ;*5- ;■ f*P:■ pleasure; to seean.- omploVer , • punished, but if they attempted to take away. ,:(mrded/.k the Court, they; should ■ ,;-i ;;be : .ilf. this had.'been done'-long ago I , : vthero;Wfl,uld have' been.mu'oh less'.friction.' -• A- i letter could be drafted that > would "burv" the Employers'■ Federation. Comrado Dowdall: Someone said he did not like, to _seo an employer fined. Well, ho's dif-'■ lorcnt from me. . ... . Sir. ■ Conchio - pointed out that'..when the ;.-V.inei^ . thoy bad nothing to gain'by it. Frequent 'in.-. idruhkenness --.were 'ideclared liabitual.;offenders,.;and:this,-law.should anplv . to industrial breaches; ;V A delegate, said that tho worker who was . . B-party ito a. ; breach:should be fincd : ; a greater ' ' r,nm than his employer, and if such men wero " P«t in : gaol;'-it. would''not grjeve him.. lio hoped the fines would. be over £10 in future, - nn d that,Dr,;M'Arthur.would'recijivo- .e'veiT -- Thie motion-was carried; .. k. Saturday Half-Holiday, v, ,4; canvasser lor the Saturday' half-holiday-pstition, reported 'that', he ha?l -.I''. 0 uhipiiJii I:rp] 1:f; ari<3: found' -.fl 1R ' a -names: wereVhot oni. the roll.. lle; oxpccted to have ;nibre: than' the- required number of names by next week, 1 ■ ;■'';V- Tho report was adopted.' .