LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1105, 19 April 1911, Page 6

LABOUR CONFERENCE.

YESTERDAY'S DOINGS. WHARF WORKERS' TROUBLES. tliy Telccrapli.-I'rcsa Association.) • Christchurch, April 18. The Trades and Labour Conference this morning agreed to tho "Wellington remit that trades unions be empowered to investigate alleged cases of breaches of the Factories Act, and take cases to Court. A Canterbury remit, urging the Government to introduce legislation making th? use of a "Made in New Zealand" brand compulsory, was carried. A deputation of ironmasters waited on the conference to urge the need for protection of their manufactures, declaring that protection would enable Hie industry to employ up to 0000 additional skilled workers. Consideration of the matter was postponed. 'There was a long discussion on the Cauterbury remit to reduce the liours per week under tho Factories Act to 4-1. An amendment in favour of 40 hours was rejected, and the original motion was carried. Shops and Offices Act. It was resolved r—" That the Shope and Officfs Act should be amended so as to empower' trades unions to take eases for breaches of the Act, and to give authority upon officials to investigate reported breaches of the Act. Compensation for Accidents. Mr. Forde (Southland) moved:—"That the Workers' Compensation for Accidents' .Vet, 1908, bo , amended to provide for country workers an ambulance c!;est and all appliances necessary to Tender first aid, and to further provide for medical attendance." The mover said that the remit specially applied to sawmill workers. They had known of men who had actually died of their injuries because the necessary appliances were not at baud. In the case of Stewart Island, for instance, there was no doctor there, and the steamer only ran intermittently. Tho Government had adopted the system on the railway, and the remit only asked for an extension of the system. The remit was seconded by Mn, Horning (Auckland), and supported by other members, who suggested .that similar attention, should be paid to waterside workers, workers on country stations and farms, and workers in mines. The remit w.is agreed- to. 31 r. lieader (South Canterbury) moved: "That .the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act be amended to provide for payment in full •from date of accident until the worker injured is able to resume work, and that all medical certificates be paid by employers." , Mr. F. Lurch seconded the motion. He did not think the .request would be granted, but they might as well ask for it, as it was a fair request.

Mr. W. T. Young (Wellington) moved an amendment: "That the worker should receive full wages from the date of his injury up to the day he was able to follow his ordinary occupation, and that all medical expenses incurred as the result of such injury should be paid by tho employer." This, ho explained, expressed the view; of the Wellington Council. Mr. Reader accepted this amendment, which was agreed to. Shipping and Seamen Act. Mr. W. Bate, on behalf of. the Waterside Workers' Federation, moved: "That the Government be urged to briuj down an amendment to the Shipping and Seamen Act to provide that where any cause of action shall arise against any ship not registered in New Zealand, or'not having a registered office or agent in New Zealand in connection with any injury suffered by any person employed on such vessel or injury to or loss of cargo service of a writ upon the master of the vessel while in New Zealand or upon his aaent shall be deemed to be sufficient service." This was seconded by Mr. W. T. Young. Mr. M'Laren (Wellington)'said that Imperial\«anction might be necessary before the amendment could be passed into law. The "remit Vas agreed to. Accidents on Wharves.

Mr. F. Lurch, on behalf of the Waterside Workers' Federation, moved: "That the Government appoint inspectors to inspect, gear and other work connected with the shipping of each port, and that tho inspector have power to condemn any running gear, links, chain .slings, or hooks not properly stamped, and that all hooks, chains, chain slings, etc., shall be tested and stamped once in every tw.eh'o months, and that the Government pass a Bill compelling all vessels to have a not the length and breadth of hatch, to be made fast before any hatches or bearers are put on or taken off; the nets to be used for nothing else but to save men from falling down the hold. Any vessel not having these nets, or not having them kept in good order shall be liable to a heavy fine." Mr. Bate said that it was very necessary that something should bo done for tho protection of waterside workers, whose occupation was fast becoming more dangerous than mining. There had boon no end of accidents through workers falling down hatches. Mr. M'Laren (Wellington) said (hat. the accidents mentioned in the Marine Department's' reports were reported to the Marino Department. There wore last year only 72 reported, but as a matter ot fact there.-were 250 accidents alone in Wellington. There was a great necessity to inspect gear in Wellington. There had been three pianos and two bales put into one net and dumped on the wharf. The discharging of oatmeal and flour cargoes on lo dirty, filthy wharves should also be inquired into. He had seen flour dumned down on. dirty .ivhnrves, where people had been walking and spitting. Mr. W. T. Young said that when somo of the colliers took their hatches off there was no protection left. On ono occasion iu Wellington there bad boon five pianos and three rolls of paper liftod by one wire. Even if that had.weighed five tons, and the wire had been tested up to seven tons, a jerk would have caused the weight to exceed the tested strength. He strongly supported the proposed use of nets, which would result in the saving of many lives.

Mr. M. Laracy thought that the remit should be laid before tho Minister by a deputation from the conference.

Mr. Whiting said that whore lives wore at stake something out of the ordinary should be done. A special deputation should be appointed to wait on tho Government, instead of leaving tho matter to the deputation which went "cap in hand" to lay the resolutions of the conference before tho Ministry. Tho Government let the matter drop, and then tho remit came up next year as usual.

The chairman said that his opinion \v;is that whenever a fatal accident occurred on a wharf all hands should stop work until after the funeral. "They would take, good care in the future," Jlr. Kpnrdon concluded.

Mr. Luich, in reply to Mr. Whiting, said that it was proposed to suggest a fine of not less than Mltttl. He believed that tho accidents on the Greymouth wharf exceeded those iii Wellington. The remit was agreed to. Night Work Objected To. Mr. Lurch moved: "That the Government he urged to bring down an amendment to the Harbours Act in the direction of compelling work to cease on the wharves of the Dominion between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m." The.mover referred to tho arduous nature of the occupation of the waterside workers. Ho contended that frequently complaints of shortago of trucks were caused ljy ships working all night, while the ordinary worker who emptied tho trucks stopped at 5 p.m. He objected to the "ungodly" hours worked by waterside workers. As a general rule, a man became useless alter 10 p.m. Mr. Horning (Auckland) said that there was scarcely u place in the world where ships did not work the 21 hours. MnrV boats, for instance, might have to do it. Perhaps an arrangement of shifts might bo more satisfactory than the stopping of all-night work. Mr. M'Larcn (Wellington) said that arrangements could bo mado to avoid night work to a largo extent. Sunday work had at one time been a disgrace to Wellington, but action taken by the men had put a stop to it. Mr. Farrant (Southland) said that the conference should not take any action to injure the Iradc interests of the Dominion. He presumed that the waterside workers got" extra rates uf pay for night work.

Mr. W: T. Young said that the remit would not be necessary, if there wore an established six or eight-hour day. Ho had known a waterside worker to woik fur twenty-four hours at a stretch. A man could not give satisfaction to his employment after eight hours' laborious toil. The present pernicious system was sending men prematurely lo their graves. At present a vessel had to get a permit to work on Sunday. The same should apply to night work. In eleven cases out of twelve there was no necessity to work after ton o'clock. Mr. E. J'. Carey (Wellington) said that night work was more a case- of custom than of necessity. . Mr. Forde (Southland) said that no argument had been advanced to show that night work could be dispensed with. Mr. Laracy said that the chambers of commerce could deal with the commercial aspect of the question. Tho workers should not bo asked to work after 10 p.m., or before 7 a.m. The remit was agreed to. A 40-Hour Week. Mr. Horning (Auckland) moved: "That .the conference declare in favoui of a 40hour week, and all overtime at double rates." Mr. Kemp (Auckland) seconded the motion. Mr. Whiting suggested that the overtime question be separated from the other. This was agreed to. Mr. Fordo moved: "That the Government provide for a seven-hour day, with the usual half-holiday." This was seconded by Mr. Farrant, but was lost, and the motion'was also negatived.

Mr.-Horning then moved: "That all overtime be paid for at double rates." This was carried.

An amendment.to the constitution was under discussion when the conference adjourned till to-morrow.