Labor Conference.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 273, 28 March 1894, Page 2

Labor Conference.

« __• (Per Press Association). Auckland, March 27, At the Trades' and Labour conference a telegram from the Minister of Labor stated there would be seven or eight labor bills introduced this session, including those obstructed in the Council. Mr Jones, the secretory, said he had been misreported. What the Minister informed him was that probably only four labor bills would become law next session, but there would be several others introduced. Mr Ward moved a motion calling the attention of Government to the pernicious effect of the tendering system in connection with Government clothing supplies and urging them to establish a State tailoring workshop. The motion was lost. Mr Ward moved, " That this Conference draws the attention of the Government to the necessity of legis--1 ition, having for its object the restriction of Asiatic and paupsr labor, and recommends that the poll tax on the Chinese be increased to £100, and the tonnage of vessels carrying them to one to every 500 tons, and that such legislation be extended to all coloured labor and all aliens brought out to the colony under contract to work for a fixed period at a specified rate of wages." Mr Collins (Wellington) seconded the motion. Mr Ward said the poll tax in New Zealand was only one-tenth of that in Australia. The motion was agreed to unanimously.