GENERAL LABOURERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1011, 29 December 1910, Page 6

GENERAL LABOURERS.

- . ANNUAL CONFERENCE. . ; The ; annual : of. delegates rebranches .',' of tho General I«6bu?CK'; , .ji;ni6i.;'iji the Wellington diV tnct.''-opened yesterday j: ''in ' the -- ivadca Hall,; Mr.; I'.,;Shannon.,'presiding. . There were' also'present: ;'lfessrs.:: ; St."' Fitzeli, .'j;., Law,: R; St'o.tt (Wellington), T. ,G. Love, and P.: Fremont-(Wa-hganui), J. Snoswpll and Byles (Napier), lY'Lamljourno (Wairarapa), ; and M. J. Eeardon, secretary. .; . i. ■; OFFICERS.ELECTED. ' ..' A; - Tho result of the ballot for the principal; officers , was:—President, . Mr.; :p; O'Keefe (elected), .161 votes, Mr. l r . Stott, C9-votes;, secretary, Mr. ,M.- J. Eeardon (elected),. 203, Mr. C. Clifford, 2G; "treasurer, Mr.--J.- M.: Campbell -(elected), 168, Mr. J. Farey, 58. • > The delegates present, complimented Mr. Eeardon .on , his . re-election,,.' and' , congratulated the union; on . retaining Mr. Eeardon's services. .. . . ' " The balance-sheet : showed ,'an improvement .' bf - over' • JBIOO .on'"' tho' half-year's working. ;. . ; • . ■ Votes of thanks were' passed' to v the retiring., officers; and . the usual monetary, allowance- of JBS 'was granted -to the .president, and 10s.-to,.the 'treasurer. *

,//; . .CHAIEMAN'S ADDRESS. : . In extending a welcome' to the visiting delegates, the chairman-; said"As you are,aware, our award has expired, but remains operative'; until".;we'/decide . on further,, The ' secretary l has . been very successful in securing recognition of the ; terras.of th'o.award' employers, with a remarkable absence of ' friction, only two .cases ;on • enforcement occurring since ,the award'came : .into force in, September, 1907. . For the. last . nine months employment lias-; been ' good, . and ■ the prospects, for the;coming, year, as. far as it'-.is .'.possible- to <see: ■into .the secrets' of the future, are. promising. •• Our membership hasincreased considerably . within the .last. six.months",' | ! The only cause of.coinplaint, the chairman went on, to state,-to which' he'felt justißed ,;in calling attention - was -. tho defeat'of the award,7in: regard tb travelling -. expenses, by the City, Council;. Jf. there was any. doubt-as to the interpretation of the -clause, touching;'; this matter, justice demanded- that the weaker ,side should have the .'benefit, of tho-dOubt. In succeeding remarks,- he paid -artribute to .the organising '.ability, 'of:; the r secretary, ; Mr. .11. J.: Reardon. ,-The. present satisfactory :state of the. union was : in-great part : due : to,, the ..'soundness,;and .efficiency of Mr. Reardon's-preliminary work:' One, of the remits that would conio up for consideration: at 'this\conferßhce..wa's one, presented .by the speaker,' relating to the permanency of the secretaryship. .. . Although the union had done no organising work during the year, it had turned its. attention- to other, activities.' The secretary was nominated for the .City Council at a by-election, and was within 270 votes of securing election.. "Taking a retrospective • view of the year," concluded .the retiring president, "it .has been, good -on tho whole, •. and, looking-.ahead for the coming year, I can see no field for strife." Delegates. spent the' afternoon in considering claims for an award to replaco that which expired last year; It is anticipated that the conference will sit for two days more.