LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 651, 30 October 1909, Page 15

LABOUR CONFERENCE.

ADDRESS BY MRI T. E. TAYLOR, M.P. I

DEBATE 6N MILITARY TRAINING. The Trados and Labour Councils' Conference continued its deliberations yesterday under the chairmanship of Mr, R. Drcen (Otago). ilr. T. E. Taylor, M.P., was present. Replying to expressions of welcome ho congratulated tho conference on its decision that the time was ripe for the direct" representation of Labour in Parliament. Ho had offered at tho last election to stand aside in favour Of lit. J. A. M'Culloiigh, whom he regarded as one of tho ablest and straightest-going Labour men in the Doiriinloti, and to assist him in tho campaign. Tho House of Representatives was very largely a class institution. They vould see this if they considered the Land Settlement Finance Dill. He intended to voto against tho Bill, because if it T\as sound policy to plodgo the credit of the State for the purpose of putting a Mlmbor of men on the land, it would be just as sound to find the capital to finance manufacturing concerns. Yet if it was proposed to buy out, say, tho boot factories, and rnn then! for the benefit of the operatives, there would bo a howl of iridignation from, the House. The farmers had One party—tho Opposition—almost to thoniselvos, ahd had also a large epnnkhng on the Other side, and thoreforo tho Bill would go through without must difficulty". Tho Bill Bh6uld be ft' text f6r the Labour movement. The farmers wore iiot the only important class in the country. The men who would willingly vole to financo ft certain class in its business could not logically refuse to nationalise any of the largo indUstn6s of tho Dominion. He saw ho reason why the production of somo of tho necessaries 6f"lif6 should not N bo nationalised. Food should not be allowed to be a taedium for speculation., He would urge them to obtain a solid representation in Parliament, and one that would not hang on to tho skirts of some other party. If they would only hang together thoy could do it. The speaker also justified the practice of holding a party together b-7 requiring compliance nith caucus decisions. The same system really obtained, though, it was, perhaps, n6t So clearly' defined, in the present Government and Opposition parties. He advised his hearers to get up a first class labour paper that would commend itself ,to tho public as a newspaper. (Applau^.) Messrs. T. Buxton and H. G. Ell. H.P.'s, also paid their first visit to tho conference during 1 the day. "Whon tho Dreadnought' proposal cornea up," ia,id Mr. Ell, "tho working men of this country aro not goitijj to pay a cent towards it. (A voice: Who will?) We will put it oil the right shoulders." Mr. Ell vent on to speak of the forthcoming Death Duties Bill and to argue in favour of electing Labour members who would support the most progressive party. , " Betterment." i A resolution, was pass6d affirmihp: " the bottorment principle in connection with Tailway construction, with tho object of putting it on a more scientific and equitably basis, in tho hone that it will act as A curb On political Iniluonce." i Workers' Compensation. The following Wellingtoh remit was adopted; •-"(a) That tho, Ac. bo amended by altering the interpretation of 'worker' so,os to'includo any person whose earnings havo' not, for thd year prior to meeting with au accident, exceeded an Average of £a per week, (b) That the restrictions iifc present embodied in tho interpretatibn 6lauses of the Workers' Compensation Act, 1908, in respect to 'domicile or rcsidolica.' be abolished." » The mivef (Mr. Carey) explained that clause (a) wad nec&isary in the interests of shoattns and slaughtermen. Defence, ' A discussion on defenco was introduced by the following Wellington remit:—'That conferorico affirms tho principlo of a ' Citizen's Voluntary Defence i Force,' and the establishment of an Australasian Navv, as proposed by tho Federal Labour party." . An i amendment in favour of compulsory military training occasioned strong expressions of opinion on both sides of the question. Mr. D. M'Laren, M.P., was one of tho hiost strenuous opponents of the latter proposal. Much of this discussion was concerned with tho question whethei compulsory training would prove tj be tantamount td conscription. . Tho amendment was' defeated by U votes to 11/ Tho motion was carried-bv IV to 10. The Wellington delegates voted| tor tho motion, under, ihfttrUctions from Jheir, comieU, although £nUf out of ing. , ' Licensing and Politics, ,-A motion in favour of assigning separate days for the general election andilocnl option poll was moved by Mr. E. Hall lEasl Coast), Seconded, by Mr. W. Naughton l lWellinßt6n). and catried. The mover and sccdiider insisted that under present condition* 'tic licensing issue overshadowed thd election proper. Tho seconder considered that tho No-Liconso parly would oppose the change, for that very reason. Tho motion was lost. 1 Mr. Hall then moved in th 6 direction of ail enlargement of the local option ballot-paper Bo as to allow of a vbto being taken'on State control, and the elimination of tho reduction clause. This was lost on the voices, i , "Made in Nsw Zealand." It was resolved: 'Thjtt all gobtls manufta. tured in Now Zealand shall bA branded 'Made in Now Zealand,' and also bear the maliufac tutor's nam6." ( Tho incoming executive was instructed to draft a echcdulo of manufactures to which tho pioposcd law should apply. Mr. Ilall moved to urge fho Government to suporvlse the sanitary affairs' 6f each town by appointing pamtarv inspectors as direct Government officials —Lftst. Immigration and Workers' Hoiises, i It -ffas resolved, on tho motion of the same dolegato, "That the oonference petition i strongly against tho proposals to grant free emigration tb dbmestlO servant!" Mr. T. O'Byrne (Southland) moved- "That tho Govdrrtracrtt bring in an Act to ptovido proper and sufficient accommodation for all bnsh salVmill workers, and that otnployers provide up-to-dato ches's and appliances, vfith printed instruotibns thereon as to their uso." Th 6 mover said this would affect some 6000 workers. The accommodation in some instances was disgraceful. I Tho motion was earned. It was also resolved to urge the Government to go in rtoro extensively for tho building of workmen's dwellings in tho larger towns outside tho chiof centres, An Auckland remit Urging thd Government to bring down a Fair Bent Bill was carried. This was tho last item en tho order piper. Mr. F. Cooko (Canterbury) moved in favour of legislation making it an offeiide- for an to use obscene or abusive languago towards an employee, or vice versa. Mr W. Naughton (Wellington) said ho ,feared tho conference -would bo exposing itself to ridicule by passing onoh a motion. Some employers habitually used feueh language, aftd ,if thoy Wert not replied tb in kind, they Would think there was something wrong with the employee. Ho saw little harm in a good solid sweaT. The workers had the ordinary ,remedy at law. ■ ■ .Thfe motion Was lost. ' • * * The conference Will resume at 930 a.m. today.