TRADES AND LABOUR COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 448, 5 March 1909, Page 11

TRADES AND LABOUR COUNCIL

The Wellington Trades and Labour Council met last night, nearly 40 delegates being present. Mr. W. C. Noot, vice-president, occupied the chair.

Replying to a letter in which tho council asked that the Government should prosecute certain mineowners in connection with tho recent dispute as to medical examination, the Minister for Labour (Hon. A. W. Hogg) wrote that he was not aware that either the mineowners or employees at Reefton had committed any breach of the Arbitration Act. The miners, truckers, and outside hands were served with notices dispensing with their services, and the union apparently recbgnised thjs notice, as they withdrew tho enginedrivers and others, who were informed .that they did not require to submit to medical examination. The Labour Department had received no complaint of illegality from the Miners' Union or the Miners' Federation, who should be in a position to know if anything of the kind had occurred.

The council, acceding to a request for advice, recommended tho Wellington Butter and Cheese Factory and Creamery, workers to arrange for Mr. M. J. Reardon to conduct their case before the Arbitration Court.

It was reported that 2090 subscribers had been secured for the proposed new Labour paper, and that shares to the value of £295 had been taken up. Messrs. E. J. Carey and W. C. Noot were appointed delegates to a meeting in connection with the enterprise.

In consequence of the Organising Committee, which consisted of 12 members of different unions, haviug failed to obtain a quorum, it was disbanded, and the chairman announced that a new committee must be appointed. Ho explained that the work of the committee was to organise all workers who are not yet organised.

Nominations were taken, but it became apparent ffow the withdrawal of several of the nominees that tho rule that one member must not belong to more than one committee was tho cause of r.om« difficulty. Several suggestions were offered, and finally tho council a"reed to n" e-mendmerit, moved by Mr. D. M'Laren, 51.P.. to refer the whole ouestion of arrangements for organising tn the Management Committee to report at a future meeting.