PLUMBERS' REGISTRATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1533, 31 August 1912, Page 2

PLUMBERS' REGISTRATION.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS. A deputation from tho Master Plumbers' Federation waited on the Primo Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey) and tho Minister for Public Health (Hon. R. H. Hliodes) yesterday to brinjr before .the Ministers tho resolutions of tho Wellington _ conference respecting tho proposed Registration Bill. Various speakers stated that at present if a plumber went two miles out of Wellington he required a .new licence from a separate local authority; that thn plumbers had been seeking a Registration Bill for ten years; that a Dominion certificate would be of more interest to tho workers than to the masters; and that there should be one general examination ■under ouo central board for the whole country. Representations were made to the effect that tho provisions of the Wages Protection and Contractors Liens Act should be made to apply to sub-con-tractors. _ Tho Prime Minister said Inaf two sides of the caso had now been put before him —the masters' side a-nd the operatives' side. Thoro was a third side—tho public's interest. In iv few days tho Government would introduce a Bill which, he thought, would satisfy nil parties. The Bill would subsequently- bo sent to the Labour Bills Committee, and he hoped that tho members of the deputation would como forward and give evidence. He had asked that a clause for a Dominion certificate should be included in the measure. Regarding the relation of the Liens Aot to the subject, he would have tho matter referred to tho Crown Law Officers for nn opinion, so that an amending Bill could bo brought down if necessary. THE CONFERENCE. The conference of toaster plumbers of New Zealand was resumed yesterday morning. Mr. Alex. Burt, jun. (president) presiding. Matters relating to tho Registration of Plumbers Bill were further discussed, and after dealing with tho Bill, clause by clause, tho conference adjourned to Parliament Buildings as a deputation, as reported above. On resuming, tho seal of the federation was adopted, and tho motto, "Salvo populi supreana. lox". (the health of the people is the supremo law), is to bo inscribed on it. It was resolved to communicate with tho boroughs of Johnsonville, Hutt, and Gisborno with n view to endeavouring to persuade them to refrain from employing plumbers to do private work, as the conference considered that municipal bodies (should not onter into competition with local tradesmen;„ ~i..... .. ■ ' The question oF inspectors of sanitary work was' discussed, and it was resolved'that.thc GoveriSmyitibe ,urged to .ihtriduccr-legislation making: it' compulsory on local authorities to appoint as inspectors persons holding qualifications that at least would enable them to obtain a license as a plumber.' Other matters of interest to tho trade were also discussed, and the conference adjourned. 'Next year's confcrenco is to be held nt Auckland. The visiting delegates were entertained at a theatre party by the local association.