INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 239, 3 July 1919, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE

POSTPONEMENT TILL AFTER ELECTION; The Federation of Labour, which has been in communication with the. ActingPrime Minister (Sir James Allen) iegarding its suggestion that representatives of workers and employers should meet in conference, has decided now that (he proposed conference ought to be held over until after the general election. Tha president of the federation (Mr. T. Bloodworth) has addressed the following letter to .Sir James Allen:— "Sir,—With referrenco to the subject matter of our conversation at the Grand Hotel on tho ovoning of Tuesday, June 17, where, at your invitation, I discussed with you the possibilities of an industrial conference such as the federation had suggested the Government should call somo two months ago. You asked me, if I cared to do so, to write you 6iiating definite matters which I thought suck a conference as we had proposed could profitably discuss. As you were aware at tho time of our conversation, the federation had received a letter from the Hon. Mr. Hemes, dated Jun« 12. in which the Minister stated, aiter expressing his appreciation of the federation's evident desire for a conference, that he believed the Eight Hon. Mr. Mas-f-cy had certain proposals in the matter under consideration, and in view of that it would bo advisable to defer the suggested conference until after his return to New Zealand. "I have 6ince given serious thought to the matter, andjiavo discussed with those of my executive who are in Auckland your suggestion for definite matters to discuss, and tho letter from Mr, Herries. Wo also considered your statement on the matter as published in the ' New Zealand Herald', of June' 17. AVo note your statement that 'any attempt to hasten the process (of removing suspicion and creating a better atmosphere) by a conference before the parties' were ready to come naturally together would lessen the possibilities of good results,' and, in our judgment, the parties wero ready to come naturally together at the time we suggested tho Government should act as the convener of a conference. We fear ■ that the timo is not so opportune r.ow as when wo made the suggestion, because the country is looking forward to the return of tho Ministers at an early date, fully anticipating that their return will bo 6peedily followed by an election, r and we think yon will agreo that under .' these circumstances the parties would not be able to give the timo and attention which so important a conference would demand. Wo had hoped the conference would be hold before the political contest came so near, and, as I have stated, 'we thought tho parties were ready, and ! that they had sufficient data to work upon, and tho proposals coming from such a conference would have boon a valu- ;'■■ able guide in industrial matters to what- •~ ever Government follows the elections. "In view of thoso circumstances, I think, and my executive agrees with me, that tho opportune timo for the conference is passed, and that a favourable opportunity will not occur again until the political atmosnhere has been cleared #■ by a general election, and therefore io eood would result from our stating definite matters for discussion. "If the Government sees fit to call a conference on the return of Mr. Massey, as suggested by Mr. Herries, we should, t .' s of course, respond, but wo think that as the matter has been allowed to wait so long it had better be left until after the elections:" Sir James Alien has since replied, stating that he is making further inquiries. He to communicate with the federation again at an early date.