LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 652, 1 November 1909, Page 8

LABOUR CONFERENCE.

ARBITRATION AMENDMENTS. -' 7 A PLATFORM ADOPTED. ':' V. '.grades' Councils' Conference' concluded , its sittings on Saturday. Mr. R, Breen presided, l' Mr. P. J. Galliers, secretary of the Wellington Electrical, Workers' Union, wroto drawing attention, to "tho attempt on - the. part of the .Wellington , Builders' and Contractors' - Union ,of Employeevjr'MriV4ll 'allied.' trades', (and' some that are' Hot allied) • defelared related in' connection with the bricklayers' dispute." The writer asked ; the conference to consider the matter;- and anform" thtf unionS'-whit Was behind' the proposal.;-,-.-, v.. •... f , The,,conference resolved: 'fTliat the.various unions: interested be advised-to-comeXtp-ian' re obtaining one award -, for 'the whole trade, and in the meantime be advised to: strongly oppose the -application now before . the . Court, so as to ensure that, -whaiever combined award is' made, shall, properly safeguard the interests of each branch- 01 the building trade." • The Blind. '. .The Hon. J.' Barr presented tho roport of 6 a PP°iuted to; consider the appeal that had been made on behalf of the hlTn.l, report;was, as follows:-'*That'your- committee, . having inquired fully Jas/to; the- number and -position.*of..the blind persons- in : New Zealaci, as well •as what' provision. -was being made. for. vtheir. care,; are'of, opinion that all that possibly can.be. done for people; in this unfortunate. position is at-present, being done by the trustees of the Jubilee Instituto, Auckland. .'Recognising, however,' that this is a work that ought; to be performed by .'the' State, we would recommend., that., this ; conference' urge upon the' Government the; desirability, of their taking full control of the Jubilco Institute." _Jn .the course of\a . sympathetic discussion,■o- Jackson (Greymouth) suggested that tho indigent blind should be. granted .pensions on the same,scale; as old'age .pensions,, as many of. them greatly preferred not to go into an institution.,;'', 'i'v- ';■■■■' . Tho' report was adopted: ' I'.'-""-'.-

olnsanitary Buildings. It was resolved, on the motion of-Mr.'Jack-®oii_ (Greyxnouth) -.—"That when a building; or buildings, is condemned in auv towT in> the Dominion,, as ,being insanitary, by -the Government Health Officer,' that the Government 1)0 requested to. see that the municipality that has failed t<v carry out tbo officer's instructions be compelled to do' its duty towards its citizens.

Industrial. Arbitration. . VuT'' «*' (Wellington) mrved:— ilia? the Government be urged to bring down legislation making it compulsory that all partnership agreements shall bo in' writing', and shall be registered." The mover explained that men woro frequently found working'for longer hours, and. .lower, wages than- thoso olJfw'ed ;by - tho awards," and a mere statement that, they were'in partnership l had to bo accepted, , the onus of proof of breach of award being upon* the' complainants.' /"■ The motion was'passed.,'. The conference unanimously resolved to protest strongly against, the suggestion;, of- ; the Harbour Boards' Association that thoie'bodies should be exempted from the operation'of the Arbitration Act. '■■■•' ,' ~Plumbers' Registration Bill. " •Mr. -W, C. Noot. (Wellington) explained the ■Plumbers Registration Bill,7,which : provides -for a uniform'system of examination and registration • of' plumbers throughout tlio Dominion, and forbids the employment of other than registered 1 men oh sanitary .plumbing.: He said the masters and men wished tho Bill to be passed, and he asked the' conference -to endorse 7 it. Delegates ■ from':' different Tra'des; Councils sup-; ported the Bill, and' a resolution -'approving it was passed. ' . Platform. .' , 'The conference adopted a platform comprising •tho following proposals:—(l) Lopd nationalisation. (2) State bank, with bright of issuing legal .tender notes. ' (3) of sale of Crown lands. (4) Parliamentary franchise for local elections and polls;', popular election ■of .members of Hospital and Charitable • Aid Boards.' (5) Imtiativo v and referendum. (6) Statutory unconditional preference to unionists. (7) Abolition of tho Legislative.Council. \8) Pull political and civil rights for State and municipal employees. (9).. Nationalisation of the. marine .coastal and intercolonial service.; (10) Increase of the land and income taxes, abolition of the.' exemptions; aiid corresponding decrease .of duties oh necessaries of life that cannot be produced in the colony. . A mption-affirming .'the desirability of the establishment /of an iip-to-daio Labour newspaper, ,to be; controlled and owned by the Labour organisations of the Dominion, .was carried'unanimously.