LABOUR IN COUNCIL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 588, 17 August 1909, Page 9

LABOUR IN COUNCIL.

NEW ZEALAND 'WATERSIDE ■ WORKERS' FEDERATION. • v • THIRD ANNUAL CONFERENCE. . The third annual 'confefonco' of : delegates from the affiliated unions, to. the New Zealand 1 "\7atersido Workers' Federation was coiii"l menoei. in ; ;No. ;ICommittee Room, - Welling-, ton Town jHall,: yesterday mdrnlng. (Tho delegates':attending tha conference, areir-Messrs. 1)'. Mlaren;, M.P.,',T., M'Canri, A. L. Jones, and V J."VBruton (Wellington); G. Wifcck and. W. Morris (Dunodin); D. Agnew (Wanganui); J. W.VLdniond'(Westport); : i)..:'Ca3ey and ,t). .» M'Carthy (Napier); J\ Reed; ;F. Lurch, and . H.' Voyoo (LytteH<Jn); J. iPurvis (Tmiai u); J. : Osborno and. F,- Jackson -(Greymbuth). . , Before tho formal proceedings commenced, * Mr. D. Al'Lareri . extended a hearty' Welcome to' ... :' the : >i3itii\j. delegates. ', - > ■ 'Mr. J. Roed (Lyttelton) was elected tb preside during the conference, and Mr. Jackson: (Greymouth) was appointed ininuto secre- ' jfr. D. M'Laren explained his status lis a member of the-conference.-'As general seoris-tary-Oftho NewZealaild;Fc.deratton ot'Wftterv : Bide.:-Workers, his own local union had sidered right that he should''attend ox .officio, andriot'as an appointed delegate, that he might■■ prtfgerly; represent tho interests, of the .. . whole^yjri'j''^-','---..'. .. '7. The only branch unions not represented-were Gisbbr'ne,-, iind Auckland. The. former, it'iwas.-explained,',send a! delegate later.' 'The Aiibkland delegates wero unnmo to atteud, being detained in connection with d .case betori the Conciliation. Council. • : The Qonoral Secretary Criticised. - r Acco'nUng 'to' a .'.Sesoliithm 5 of :"thi -'previous ■' conference (1908),. the Melegates. should havb .. been- assembled for the 1309 conference ih Juno - ' last.. That, this .was; not done involved an . explanation, by ■ tho' general secretary : (Mr.' ; JD. Mliaren),' -which was subjected to.somoad- . verse' criticism. . ' • In reply to" questions,. Mr. M'Laren. admitted, that errors, had been inado . with';.regard- to, tho date of the conference. One reason for the: postponement of . the dato of confer? . ; ehce.-was personal'ill-health', : 'aiul. lie had' further • bfesn . overloaded with Mvork. ■ It .would have been possible to haVfl convened; ■ * the"delegates, at-an earlier :'date, '-but- hi) wished ' . tho.conierenco to. be as representative-as "pos- , sible. . "V -.i >. ....- '.' ■ -v i • Mr. Jackson (Greymouth) moved that - tlis secretary's explanation be accepted as satis- • '■ ' factory. ... 'v Mr. Voyco (Lyttelton) dissented. Why had of the,.previous conference withi regird to this matter been ignored? •Jlr. J. Osborne (Greymouth) wanted-to klio'w " 1 if the secretary, had ever consults, .the lixecutiv®. Committee. , - ■ Mr. .M'Laren signified that, lie had.-,. Mr.. Casey..,(Napier) desired, to know -hdw maiy meetings of the executive,had bien held during the year. L- : Mr. M'Laren: Two. - " . Casey: One everyisix months!.■ . . . In":reply :; to a- question, Mr. 'M'Laren siiid 1 ' . that' .the'executive Avas composed .of lneiiibefs " of the local. (Wellington) union.- : Mr. Jackson then, asked.-and. was' permit-led ~to alter his motion to read ' That the it- '- planation of the secretary lie accepted." j Mr.. M'Laren 'dehicd that the' ; Wellington union had -'more authority' than the others. • The. fact ,wa£ that fchanges had taken. plfico in ■ the personnel of -'the executive;' to' tho eitent thalt ho .vjas left' praCtieally without a 'Anonim;'' and tho bulk of-the responsibility fell-ujpon , , his own shoulders; ' . . . Mr; M'Canii (Wellington) evinecd some curiosity 'concerning 'the-minutes of the executive : meetings.. Hi himself• was a delegate,. but'; did '■v not--knowwhere the' executive : meetings being held. .V ■.-■: ■-..-v.---. v-. Mr. M'Carthy (Napier), defended, the general ; secretary.- Thi explanation, .'offered by 'Mr. I. M'Laren, he said, ; was perfectly fair.-'; . ' , After further', discussion;" "Mr. .".Jackson'9 motion was .carried, Mr. M'Cann; dissenting.' ; ~ ...-. Annual Report. . •Thd third'flnnual report of the general secretary, on, tho cnndition and progress of tho New Zealand: Waterside Workers' Federation.stated that gootl progress, had been-made.during; tlio year.. and that tho membership "of .the.;.affiiiated. uniftns had been - weir, maintained.-;Timai"ii and Wanganui' had joined .the'federation/while ■ the Dnnedin 'f nio'n -had ;.iargely its meiilbership. ' The policy of-isolation adopted . , by -j tbe^'B^r.t-;,Qi.iilnier».. l ''(lniiit? ift..i'eonrigction'; - t .- •. witk*-' ; .with; : £he,- Dunqdjh -TOiion,'{vaS'.:B'dyersely;;eri- ■ . tioised; . : r Th©'.'conference .-would' Ije- to. : .discuss, tho;general .questibn.of;.perin'anent eni-' ' ployeos competing l with casuals • (the: latter' being bound by an.'award of the Arbitration Courc,; jvhilo; tho ;forraer were'quite'untram-- - "melled - as' irega'rde'l- awards, -agreements, .;,.br.; . unions),' :a»< ;, w-a9 still the, eaio : in" contieetioh with tho.'handling of mcat oargbcs-at Gisborne. ** lt appearsto v ine,'' stated the .secretary;, , " that wo'have established here in: New; Zealand nnder-tho; Jaw bodie-s of eelect men ,specially attached to' the ehiployersi nndwho may bs -used- bv .the -employers' to tho detriment 6f : . our unions, and as tliesd n.dnditions. have ■ : so'far ( Validated by the Arbitration' Court, .-wo - ' must consider ..this a bar to our inovemeut of oreanisation." . . . '^-v . Reference ;is made to the efforts of the Farm. - Labourers' Union ; to perfect, their Organhatiflh . . and 'to .thby,assistance the unions ' of tho/Wate-rsido, Markers'rFederation to that union,:'"but ) ''.. states', the ' report,• "unfortnnatcly, th 9 power of. vested interests was too strong io'r. th».country, workers.", v. . •Mi:- 'The "Anti-Striko Clause." ' ."The plaoing of Mr/ Justice. Sim's famous ariti-striko clause; in :various, awards," stated the secretary,- "caused the' unions to support '[r the executive. of our feileratidn in .taking a. legal opinion on this/niatter. ;.. Wo -believe the opinion to ;b«..very sound,, and, as we. Me, ad-;. Tiwd thff- the Oonrt has'..fen exceeding its • ; powers, it may be considered advisable -to . iurthar ra ~tliis tier.--, and -state'ft- . . cmo: for,' The.'-oiiljr'difficulty.^thivt' vap- ,'. pear's • to' arise is that • slthough the Arbitra- ■ tion Court .may. h& prevented: from .repeating. . ■ a Ayrong act "of judgment, there is ;,no'redress once'that act has.-.lxsen: done.. It matters not whether the' Court' exceeded its. powers',or'not,' any j award, once made, must' stdnd; and it ' only .remains l for : notion to be taken to pre- . vent ; a repetition of the offence;' : We have in ! • New;. Zealand",created a form oF indnstrial- > . : Ugal autocracy; which. may prove', to be as - inimical to tho masses as a political or any other, form Of. autooraoy, and I think .that; our ■ unions must bo advised to rely less on the present established legal powers, and-more ;on , • their powers: of organised oontrol. ■. .

"An Outrage onCommon Sense." ■ .'fin an. interpretation^given lat'Auokland on October. .10,;' 1908," continued tho secretary in his. report, "Judge, Sim ruled that men on outpost' work, need not.bb> paid for'the time spent in''travelling. during overtime hours, on. the-ground that th«S' word 'day* meant 'working; day/ or from 8 a.iu. till 5 p.m. I consider that this interpretation is of the nature-of an outrage von common sense, : . and it- is hard to understand hftw it can be justified on either legal orv indestriil"lines without, absolutely murdering the principle of equity outright, it means, that the. judge has- read' into: the /award something that is not stated therein; he'has ignored. the fact of a 'working, day' ■in , stevedoring/work ; beins different' froni .the^'.d.-ij , in most;..trades of occupations,inasmuch as ,a man's, day's work (in. stevedoring), just.as well commences;at a.'p.m. as at , B.-a.m. fie has , set , up the most "Vicious prinoipie that ah em-" pjoye'r niay ,tako an r employee's'.time and sei> vice during overtime hours ''.without , payment! m return./- ".-■ ■<■':■, ..;■ :\,^.['■:-./.■:■ ■ ■, ■■■■.■'■ I :••.■■, Honour Vour Contracts. ' .; "In another judgment,' Judge, Sim riiled, fairly, tliaffailuro to start work did not I constitute a br<*ch'of award, thouglrit wight constitute ,r" breach of, contract.' 'Unions, nrg«d Mr. , Jl'Larenj- should impress upon their members the necessity of honouring • their contrscts when they- accepted engagements. Afeln- , bers might, with justification.-bo fined for offences *ith r«gerd to tioir falinre to observe eucb contracts. - • .'•• ! , ■.;■■ \" ■■: "I report these three ctees," continued .the Bfcrttarj, "for the pnrpose of emphasising the thrf«? following principles:— "That the Mrvico of any of our members shall never-'bo'- treated. , (W forced labour (the pro'- 1 pertv..-of ■ on employer). \ '"J hut'everr workman's tim« Is his o»n until. he h'ns sold it for the price established. - "That nil members' must ■ fulfil their eon* tracts for their on'n and their Union's credit." ; .; Wanganul Union, The secretary wont on. to notice oliangea in the Dnivedin tlnion, and- the- formation-of-n unh/ip at ■ Wanganni.. The latter union had entered into'.'tin agreement 'for twelve months, which was on tho whole a fnir one, though he would have liked to soe. tt direct preference clause on,';the Australian- '(dded' tp it. The union had jflined the federation, and niade splendid./prdgrcss.'-■■•,;, ; "',' : .".. :; : ; : ■-V-"""- Aiisfrelasiati .Federation , ;' .'■' : , A Following his visit 1 tfl Atistrfllia,.ho had submitted to the unions a draft constitution for on Australasian ' ; Waterside : 'Workers' Jednration. which had been endorsed

by a number of thorn. Tho proposal would. come before , ; . the conference, and he hoped it would bo unanimously endorsed. ■ Ho suggested that the conference should ssnd congratrifctians' to the Australasian Federation on t'.ia wivr.-.icement made, in settling recent agreements on most satisfactory terms. The unions had contributed MO-.to-wards his expends in Australia, but had it not beon for the. kindness of certain Labour leaders in Australia this woeid not havo been OHflioient. As. it was, ho was able to return ■£10 to the unions. Since Vominft fcsek he .had-.written to all the uriifflliated niiions iri Australia, advising them to join, the federation. . ■■'■•■■'■ /..' Urgent Mattel. ■•'--.■ •Hβ snggested that the following matters should'bo pushed forward' as early, as possible :r- - '■ .. : . . .. ... ,(1) Recoinpilation of legal opinions now the property of the. liniins. ■• ~ (2) lteoompilation of a model 'set of claims for'nil our uiibris. '■■• '. . ,•' , ' ' (3) Concerted' notion for securing that ordinary time shall cease at noon'on. Saturdays, for all whtevsido workers. ■ ■ ■ ".'■■■"'■ ■'. (4) Specified times of call for engagements at all ports. : '• '" '•-■■'■. (5) Amendment of Harbours Act'to provide for election of all. members of hirftoar boards on Parliamentary franchise.. Their three-ycar-pld federation, ho- cbnoluded,' had , trebled its membership, and more than trebled its'; financial strength. There were four nnions affiliated iti IQOti; now there were ten. Tho report concluded with a complimentary reference to the wdrk' of the treasurer (Mr, Thos. Smith),-and an expression of thanks for conrtesy and attention frOrn fellow-workers. The. report was adopted. . . .;■'-. :■....;; : Mr; H. Voyce (Lyttelton) moved :rt- : "That tho dovernment be urged Jo.bring , : down an amendment-to-. tho Harbour ■"■ Boards Act that all work on wharyos shall cease between the hours ;of Ao p.m., ftnd 7 a.m. on five, days in the week and from--noon"on Saturday." ' . ' . .The mover said such an amendment would nialce work more even, and distribute,it , over a largpr number of men. Tho i majority: of waterside , , workers would-be quite content to' finish ,jt 12 noon. The work would have to .be continued on Monday, though on some occasions 'extra 1 men'might'have "to 'be' pat on! If the employers/had the right to: work, the men nnd- pay overtime, there might, a.e ; well be no halMiolid&y. .:. :-.■■.. •■'.< \ '-. .- Mr. F. Lurch (Lyttelton) seconded.the. mo r ion.'' ,, ' ,, ■"■' .'. •''■'.■ '•'• '": ; ■•' ■'■' ' • ■ .... - i I Hγ. .4. Lv Jones (Wellington) said he had no instrnotiops from his union ho* to vote.' It! would not beadrissabloin Wellington'to have. work oeaso by law at 10 p.m.,. though, he apr I proved of. ceasing ,at ■ noon .on Saturday. He-, believed.that.three-flfths of the wharf labourers:■ in Wellington were'no't getting a living wage, And. the other two-fifths were only making 10s. Or 12s. ft , week'. ''-.';', ' -'• *, '■ Mr.!Luroh-:said the" position was no' better; at Lyttelton. ■• : - :.-.?•.'■■■■•;.■•.-/ ■ [,'[ , .Mr. ' Jacksjn .. (Greymouth) said. \ there would be difijonlty'iri applying the •suggested to work ati a bar harbour like Grey'mouth! 'He did not-'think there was any chance ; pf : getting the proposal on the sta-tutfe b00k. , ! j •-•'.' An Amendment. . '■' ( -'Mr., J: 'Bruton' (Wellington) moved to amend the iHotion br'inserting the words "without,a special, permit" after, the- words-." five. dayff. in'the week." He eontehdtd that.'ships carrying mails and some'others could not be allowed", to bo delayed. A Home boat.sometimes had to: bo.got away, add often frozen meat was wait-'; -ing - in -trucks,.■'•and : ' the trucks were .in de-, maud. '...-''. ; ' -I ■•■ 'i . MlvJ. P.urvis (Timarii) seconded the amendment. ■■•'•' ■ . " ■ :.■...-', ,iUr. ; J. 'W. and Mr. D.: Agnew (Waugamii) said the motion might suit the larger ports', hut not tho smaller ones iyith' bar, harbours. ■'■■.'. '.■'■■■"' In. tho course of further dispussion, Mr. ■ W. Mdjrris (Duneflin) said tho Saturday lialf-holi-day pro'pdsal would'not be practicable at;Du'nedin.. ■-. -'' - ,;, ' . .-, ' .-■ . ■ '•' '■'..Mi , . D. : Casey-'(Nhpier),'said he- thought there ,waß a 'very fair clianco of getting the Saturday half-holiday (with payment for overtime), , but the other port of the proposal-was iiuprac-.ticable-at present. , '"■-<■ -. r . •. : Mr, D,'.M'Lareu,.Jl.P. (Wellington) thought there .was not the slightest chance of geftirig the)Havbours Act amendedas proposed,in the motion,, unless they' elected a fnll House of Ijabbur'members.. The ■iuiendmeni would over-" n'do a '.number.' of arbitration -.awards. He thought- Mr.'ißr-Uton's- amendment'might --be. regarded more'- , r-7-r ''■'!'•: -. .;;: Mr. D; M'C'ai'thy (Napier); said he could 6upjport neither , the. motion nor , the.amendment." ;■• ■' -Mr.- Voj-cs,:ju:itho ;c6ursb.;-of'-lris.iTeplj-,! re--juarked: ■•"Oiye■ ihd. the Saturday • half-holiday .-.and.: never mind,- abont. the .'other. days." He added that 'the .Saturday , ' - lnvlf-holiday. would enable the: men. to, , piny football. At,present those liho wished to do so. Bad td keep oat of .the.way all day .Saturday: / • .- " '■ - ;• The' amendment and the' motion were both Inst, 'but it. WM,' slated, that, the matter 'of hourt would come up again on-rehiit from QreyniOuth. ' -'■ ..■■'.•: ~; - - '. ■•■:' ',''.. ■,.•■■ ,--Charaeter Credentials.;--.iv ;-; ■ The conferoncs then, went into., committee. The following. Lyttoltbh remit, was , 4 'That, ! i in the'event of a member-leaving a federated union,; the nerirefary of the union shall insert in the members' pence book a note is to. his;character.".. '- . .;..:' ■ ■';, 'Lighting of Ships' Holds. ' . Mr. H..yoyce.(Lyttelton) .inoved:'— '" '.■' •'"That the attention of the Govoriitnent bor_ ■ dratv-i to the inferior lighting of the holds:, of.'ships working coal and ■ timber." .. i" He complained especially'of danger 'to health, etc., from the liso /pf hurricane lamps and ilaro-tips. ':. :' '" :" r, .' ~';.'.• .V ; '• This was seconded by.Mr.'.J. Osborna (Grey-, mouth), ■< -.•".- •-.'■■, .■■•'-,■■• - ' /Mr. Bruton said;the trouble in AVellington ;was.iiotnowso | acute DS formerly, but he supported the motion. '.'.-' . ' . - : — .The motion was carried unanimously, and ■ the conference adjourned until 10 a.m. to-day. vV :•' ;-'- ; OTIRA 'TUNNEL v"; v- ,''..■ ■''':";: '.:,■ .■;- ' V '*.,'V.::. -,-■'.-.'•■- - ; •. THE MEN/CEASE WORK. •:,, ) .'"..:■ .-■ (By TeleEraph.-l'rcss Asaoplatioa.)' .. -";■•'■■ "■■-■ ■: : ; Groymouth, August 16.-"•'. : Tlie Otira correspondent of the Greymouth ."Star" advises that all/work is at a standstill there to-day.' : It appears that Mossrs. John .Mijean and Son demand from each inati a deposit of. 10s.- 6d. for lanipe. The men. objected, but tJio decision was enforced last night. < When tho night sliift went for their'lamps they were -refused'-,till■■th«i,:de-posit was made. Tho men returned to their huts. The same thing occurred to the day shift, and will in all, likelihood happen.to tho afternoon shift. .'...- ' : «.',;■ Otira is quiet. The men agreed to this cour3e;at.ii meeting, At which 120 were present. They contend that as they are prepared to go to work a lock-oat-, is in existence. Mr. M'Lean is absent in Auckland. An explanation offered of the lamp trouble at Otira is that tho-firm, found-that a lot of carbide lamps Wer6 .being damaged, and an extravagant use of carbide was alleged. In order to check this, Messrs. M'Lean and Sons decided,to..charge the men 10s. 6d. for their lamps, the money to be returned when ibo mon loft tho.jdb. The isene of carbide Was restricted to double-the quantity required for each lainp for a shift, all over that quantity to be paid for. by the men.