LABOUR CONGRESS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 93, 21 April 1911, Page 2

LABOUR CONGRESS.

THE QUESTION OF AMALGAMATION. [BY TELEGBAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, 20fch April. At the conference of the Trades and Labour Council's Federation of Labour, oitSr a lengthy discussion, the following remit from Wellington was negatived by 13 votes to 4. "That the conference consider tho question of ensuring the loyalty of trades councils, trades unions, and individual delegates and members to the decisions of the annual conference by i the adoption of the principle of % pledge for councils, trade unions, and individual members." The following telegram was received .from Mr. Glover, secretary of the Miners' Federation of Labour ;—"Useless having conference at present, our representatives not having power to act. vYould suggest you appoint representatives to meet our conference when in session. (Signed) Glover." It was agreed : "That a delegation be appointed to meet the Miners' Federation; tho delegation to be instructed to urge that the basis of amalgamation be the decisions of tho Trades and labour Conferences and the constitution of this federation." It was further resolved : "That in the event of amalgamation not being agreed to in terms of the resolution passed, the delegation confer further with the Miners' Federation for the purpose of drawing up a provisional constitution for an amalgamated federation, and that such constitution be submitted to a plebiscite vote. of the affiliated unions, and on a majority_ declaring for the same such constitution shall be adopted and a complete amalgamation declared effected." * The following were appointed a delegation to wait on the Miners' Federation in July : — Messrs. Reardon, Farrant, Paul, Young, Reader, Horning, and Jackson. Tho committee set up in regard to a Labour paper recommended that the Weekly herald should ba t.He official ergan of the Federation of Labour, and also recommended the New Zealand Labour party to make it their official organ. The report was adopted after an explanation by Mr. W. T. Young, who said that the paper would assist the unions in combating tho malicious lies directed against them by the capitalistic press. In regard to the federation objective, it was agreed that the motion carried and the amendment lost on the previous day be referred to a plebiscite of the members of the federation, but that in the event of an amalgamation with tho Miners' Federation being effected, the resolution be not acted uoon.