LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1108, 22 April 1911, Page 3

LABOUR CONFERENCE.

».. . MANY REMITS. .WORKERS' COMPENSATION. (By Tdceraph-PrcES Association.) Chrlstchurch, April 21. The Trades' Conference continued today, and resolved that tho incoming executive should take the whole responsibility of arranging for tho visit of Professor W. T. Mills, of Milwaukee. It was decided to send tho following cablegram :—"Hughes, Acting-Premier, Melbourne. Annual conference delegates all Labour Councils Dominion extend .to ,vqu and your parly greetings. Wish Labour success Referenda and urge workers throughout Commonwealth to vote solidly Yes on-2Gt.il." Stats Ferry Scrvlca. A Canterbury remit, "That tho Government bo urged to provide a State, terry service between tho North and' South Island," was moved. Mr. W. T. Young moved the addition of the words, "and also State-owned colliers, such vessels to bo brought under tho Conciliation and Arbitration Act.'; ' This was added to the remit, which was agreed to. Miscellaneous. An Auckland remit, "That the Gov-, eminent be urged to abolish all private registry offices and establish labour ex-, changes in connection with tic Labour Department,"-was agreed to A Wellington remit: "That Govern-: nient be urged to bring,down a Bush-, men's Accommodation Act on tho lines of tho Shearers Act," was agreed to. j ,A Bill drafted by. tho Plumbers'/ Union providing for tho registration of' plumbers was agreed to. A Canterbury remit, "That legislation bo brought down requiring drivers of' motor-cars and vehicles propelled and' moved from place to place by their own motivo power to be duly certificated by! the Inspection of Machinery Depart--' ment, such drivers not to he under., eighteen years of age," was agreed to. A Southland remit, "That the Gov-i ernment bring in legislation providingfor the compulsory registration of altland and commission agents," wasagreed to. . . .. A Waterside Workers' remit read:' "That tho Minister for Justice be re-' quested to bring down legislation com-,: polling the police when summoning a coroner's jury to act on tho inquest of any person killed or fatally injured l while following his or her employment' l to summon (as far as possible) only workers engaged in the particular in- j dustry in which the deceased mot.', death." This was agreed to. A Watersido Workers' remit. "That' tho conference, endorses Dr. Findlay's' proposal to appoint public defenders in each centre of population throughout tho Dominioiij and urges him to I)ringdown legislation in that direction asspeedily as possible," was agreed to.' Tho following was substituted for a Waterside AYorkers' remit: "That legislation bo enacted to provide that, where buildings are condemned as unfit fori human habitation they shall bo immedi- ' ately demolished, and the material con- ' demned shall not be used for tho erection of dwellinghouses or structures that will prove dangerous to health." This was agreed to. An Auckland remit, "That tho Government bo urged to bring dowii a Fair Rent Bill," was rejected in favour of a Wellington amendment, "That for tho purpose of arriying-ntthe principle-Jof-v a fair rent, the conference endorses the principlo of taxation on unimproved value." Workers' Compensation Act, The following Wellington rc-mit wa3. moved: "That the Workers' Compensation Act he amended on lines suggested ' by the last conference." The president (Mr. Rcardon) said that the limitation which prevented l 'a man obtaining compensation if ho earned moro than £5 per week all through tho year should bo struck out. Tho Government should take charge of all the accident insurance. The workers had at present to fight the insurance companies, who filched tho benefits of tho Act from them. They ignored its humanitarian principles. Tho question ' of domicile was also important. Because a man's parents resided in Tasmania, they were deprived of any compensation for his death through an accident in the course of his employment. Mr. E. J. Carey suggested that domestic servants should bo brought within tho operation of the Act. After.further discussion, it was decided to support: (1) Extension of the limitation to £0 per week; (2) abolition of the domiciliary restrictions; (3) inclusion of domestic servants; (4) repeal N of Section 58.0f tho Act; (5) the taking over of all tho insurances by the State. ' It was decided to hold tho next conference at Wellington. Ihvcrcargill lost tlie distinction by one vote. Tho Christchurch council'were appointed the executive for the year.