LABOUR'S DEMANDS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 531, 11 June 1909, Page 3

LABOUR'S DEMANDS.

: —t , . — .:;■.: THE COMING CONFERENCE, THE EIGHT TO. WORK. ' SHOETER HOTJBS WANTED. . 'Tho ..annual New Zealand conference o: Trades and Labour Councils will be helc shortly in Welliugton, but the exact: date- ii not yet fixed. ••■••• .-'■■• /• ■; , The Platform. : Tlie agenda paper begins with a "platform' .urging the Government to dD as follows:— 1. That the Government bo urged to issui legal tender State notes, for tho purposo ol completing the unfinished Main Trunk ant other .important-railways now in course ot" con structioti, and for permanent and reproductivi works, with a view to provide n permanent cur rency as a medium of exchange for the inter nal trade of the colony. '■ .;."■' 2. That the Government bo urged to abqlisl tho sale ■ of Crown lands, and inake'provisior for the periodical valuation pr all Crown land; held on lease, for. a period of 50 years from thedate.of the lease. Tho resumption of land for closer settlement to be at owners' valuation for; .taxation .purposes, plus 10 per cent, Tenants to,,'have . an absolute right to ; in* proveinents.' .•.•.-.', 3. That the. Government should be urged amend the Franchise Reform Act, tc provide thqt the Parliamentary franchist should apply to all elections of local bodies and that every: cleotor should, bo entitled tc vote on all questions submitted to a poll, alsc that tho law should be, amended to provide for the election by popular vote for all ljospital, charitable aid;'harbour, and road boards, and county councils.. , i. TJiat, the Government should be urged .tc introduce legislation providing for' the referendum, with the initiative in the hands oi the people. . "..■•■".■ ' 5. That tho Conciliation and Arbitration Acl be amended so as to provide for statutory unconditional preference to unionists. I 6. That tho Government ibe requested to introduce legislation to provide for the abolition of the Legislative Council. ■''■'.■''■'■ T 7. That tho Government be urged to. repeal any laws or regulations which prevont ,th< full exercise, of the political "and civil right! of State,and municipal employees. _8. That the: Government bo urged to nationalise the marine coastal and intercolonial service 9. That the Government be; urged to increase the land and income taxes, to abolish the exemptions, and -correspondingly decrease th< duties on tho necessaries: of life-that cannoi be produced in the colony.' ;'• : The following are the,most interesting remits sent .up by tho different Trades and Labour Councils:— - \'.; .-.".-.. Unemployment. ." That the hours of labour be reduced forth* purpose of absorbing all surplus labour, and that Parliament be urged.,to/pass legislator giving effect to the proposition.—{Canterbury.! That the time.has arrived when the State should : subsidise trades unions or other organisations which insure their members againsl unemployment.—(Otago.) , That in' view of tho steady increase in - the ranks of the unemployed in the Dominion, confcrence.be requested to consider the question of unemployment, and ,to suggest methods for the immediate cheeking of tho increase, nitd for the* alleviation of tho distress amongst unemployed workers.—(Wellington.) ..That State farms should be established, and a comprehensive system of State re-afforostation instituted, where unemployed should have the right to claim employment at a living wage.— (Auokland.) . . .. • Auckland and/Canterbury send remits in favour of a,Eight .to Work Bill. '•■."■-• ■'. ..Nationalisation of Industries. ■ Remits' from various councils' urge the nationalisation of the'iron industry, State boot factories, : State colliers, ; State ■' mail boats, State ferry boats on the :Wellington-Lyttelton run, and State farms. '.:.'-■ .'The, Land. , That the Government be urged to gradually reduce the private ■ areas of land, so that no. one person shall hold more than 1000 acres first-class land and 3000 acres second-class land. -(Southland.)., , , ~ -.. That this conference affirms the betterment principle in connection with railway construction, with tho object of putting it on a more scientific aid equitable basis, in the hope that it will aot as a curb on political influence. -(Otago.) ■ : .' ■ One or two remits demand.a Fair Rent Bill. Defence; That conference affirms the principle of a "Citizen's Voluntary Defence Force," and the establishment of an Australasian Navy,.as proposed by tho Federal Labour party.—(Wellington.) -. .•.."■.. ''•''' ■ .■■•-.-'..■.., -:'. Workers' Dwellings.' , That the. Government be asked to introduce legislation providing for an amendment to the Municipal Corporations Act in the direction of empowering borough councils to acquire lands or'set apart reserves to erect workers' dwellings thereon.—(Canterbury.) !■■ ' That ,th'e conference urges the Government to go,in more extensively..for the!building of workmen's dwellings in the. larger towns outside the chief centres.—(East Coast.) ' •' Hours of Labour. ' That the Government be urged to bring down an amendment, to tho Harbour Boards Act that, allwork .shall cease on. the -wharves throughout the.Domini'on between 5 p.m. on Saturdays and midnight on Snndays.—(Westland.) '■■ .' ■ That conference urge the necessity for immediate legislation establishing, n weekly day of rest in New Zealand, as provided-for in other countries.—(Wellington.) . . - ' That; any ■ work done after eight hours in any one day shall'be" paid, for .at overtime rates.—(Southland.) That this conference affirms the need, for n statutory of working hours, to 44 hours per. week aa a maximum. Eight hours on five days - of' tho week,-and four hours on tho day of the 'recognised half-holiday.— (Otago.); - _ Westland wishes the maximum hours of work per week under the Shops and Offices Act to bo 48, instead of -52. ■'■'/' / .'■';., Arbitration Act. Westland wishes to have tho Industrial Arbitration Act amended as 1 follows:—That Section 53 of tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitra-Hon-.Amendment'Act, 1908, be struck out. (This means reversion to the provision 'under which a-minimum of two employers or seven workers may be registered as a union. Last year's Act raised the minimum, to three employers or 15 workers.) . ■ '.':- That Section 06 of .the principal' Act be amended to allow of an appeal to-Court of Ap-peal-on any question, of Taw. '..•■■'■ Workers' Compensation: Act.' (a.) That the Act bo amended by altering the interpretation of "worker" so • as to include any porson whose earnings have not| for tho year prior to meeting: with an accident, exceeded an average, of £5 per week, (b.) That the restrictions at present embodied in the interpretation clauses of the Workers'" Compensation Act, 1908, in respect to "domicile or residence" be ,abolished.-(Wellington.) (The restrictions as to domicile prevent compensation being paid to persons not residing in New Zealand) ■-■'.:■ .'.. . Shipping and Seamen's Act. The Wellington Trades and Labour Council contributes the following proposals /or amendment of the Shipping and Seamen's Act:—That the. third schedule of the Shipping and Seamen's Act, 1503, bo amended bo as to provide for an increase in the number of able seamen to be carried on all ships employed in the coastal,' intercolonial, or South Pacific ..Island : trade, especially ships licensed to -carry passengers," and. that tho person acting as mate be not counted in computing the number, of able seamen on sailing ships,of 30 to 100 tons. That tho ■ interpretation of "desertion" in clause I bo amended so as to provide Hint "desertion" shall, mean "the absence of a seaman or apprentice from his ship' without leave for a period of 48 hours, with the intention of not returning thereto, and who has removed tho whole or major portion of hie effects from the ship." That section 132, subsection (a) bo amended so as to provide: "That for the offence of desertion a seaman'or apprentice shall be-liable to forfeit out of his wages .a-sum not .'exceeding two week's wages, oi' tho amount of wage; due at the time of desertion, whichever is the least." Among, the equipments of each and everj boat carried by steamships for life-saving purposes, there shall bo a properly constructed "steer onr," .and at'tho steru of each and every such boat there shall bo a properly constructed affixture in which to ship ouch onr. At tho bow and stern of each and evcrj boat, carried by ships for life-saving purposes there shall bo a properly constructed, fitted, .and secured, metal tank, having a tap and: pipe on each side,, in which ail.slrill.be carried, nnd at all imes ready for life. .: All'-boats "carried by ships for life-Bavinf purposes shall bo equipped with- boat caw)

:hat may bo automatically disconnected, and ihrown free of the boat at a moment's notice. Every ship having a belting along the side if the hull 6hall have the underneath portion >f such belting built in with wood, from the . mil',to the outer edge of tho belting, so as to >nard' against the gunwale of tho boat catchng under the belting after _ the boats-are owered into tho water. .Evory seaman carried on ships employed in the coastal, intercolonial, or South Pacifio island, trade shall have allotted to him a sta;ion at a boat, and in ,the event of an accident lecessitating the.putting out of tho boats, it ihall be deemed an offence, punishable under ■ ;he Act, for any seaman, except those of the itewards required to attend passengers!' to be ibsent from his post. In carrying out tho monthly boat drill ;in •.creis of. Section 202,' it shall he deemed an iffence, punishable under the Act, for any of ;he'fittings to be removed boats prior ;o tho signal for drill being given; and where ibeamships are laying in port for forty-eight jours or more, all life-saving boats shall be jlaced in the water for a period of not less than iix hours. ■'■•■'. Each boat carried by ships'for life-saving purposes shall havo securely affixed on tho mtsido of each gunwale, and also on each side if .'the keel a strong and properly-constructed . ifo line. At.least once in every three months all lifeiaving appliances of ships shall be thoroughly nspectea and tested by surveyors appointed for men' purposes, who shall have power to detain ;he departure of a ship in any case where they ire of opinion that the said appliances are not :o their satisfaction. ' Organisation of Labour.. That the conference be' requested ,'to seek affiliation with tho Australian Trades and Labour Councils," with a view to consolidating , jrganised labour.—(East Coast.) ■ ' An Otago remit sets out a proposed constitution for a New Zealand Federation of Labour. Miscellaneous. ' 5 ; That conference take steps to ; appoint an jrganising agent to especially. follow up Arbitration Courts, and conduct all cases on behalf of affiliated unions.—(Southland.) That tho .Government bring in an Act to • provide proper and sufficient accommodation for sawmill workers, and that employers provide up-to-date • ambulance chests and appliances, with printed instructions thereon as to their use.—{Southland.) ;'■•'.■', ■That the Government be nrged to fix separate days for the general election and local option poll, also to alter the present local option law to allow of a vote being taken on State control, and the elimination of the reduction clause—(East Coast.). To urge the Government to supervise the sanitary, affairs of each town by appointing sanitary inspectors as. direct Government ; of-' ficiak—(East Coast.) . \ That the conference petition strongly against the proposals to grant free .emigration to domestic servants.—(East Coast.) "■; - There are also remits in favour, of. more rapid afforestation, a "made-in-New-Zealand" brand, the'Hon.-A. R. Guinness's national insurance scheme, a Government scheme for tho utilisation of water power and flonrmills, State coalmines' and depots in the North Island, j