THE TRADES CONFERENCE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 28 February 1901, Page 4

THE TRADES CONFERENCE.

The following is the agenda paper of the Trades Conference, the annual meeting of which will be held in Dunedm during Easter week : 1. That the Factories Act be amended to provide that the hours of labor for females and boys be not more than eight hours for five days and four hours on Saturday, and that permits for overtime on Saturdays be abolished. 2. That the Act be amended to provide for a compulsory weekly half-holiday for adult workers.

3. That all workers in factories be brought under the provisions of the Factories Act as regards overtime and hours.

i. That dining rooms be provided for male adults in factories where more than six are employed. 5. Master and Apprentice Bill making provision only for the indenturing of all apprentices. 6. That the Conference urge upon the Government the nationalisation of the whole of the mineral wealth of the colony; also that it immediately take over the working of the coal mines in the colony. 7. That all steam engine drivers be certificated.

8. That the Government be urged to establish Government tailoring, saddlery, and boot manufacturing workshops in one of the chief centres of the colony for the manufacture of articles required for its own services. 9. That second-hand dealers be licensed so as to assist the police in tracing stolen goods, etc. 10. That the Bating on Unimproved Values Act be made mandatory; also that the provisions of the Act be applicable to all rates. 11. That in cases where persons are performing underground work for a period of tm years, the age limit for qualifying under the Old Age Pensions Act be reduced to sixty years. 12. That the amount of pensions under the Act be increased to 10s pec week. 13. That the Conference confirm the principle of making the old age pension universal.

14. That the Government be urged to make an issue of inconvertible paper money a 3 a first step towards nationalisation of the banking system' and a propor regulation of interest, 15. That the Conference urge on the Government the nocessity of introducing a Bill, on the lines of the Hon. W. P. Reeves's Bill of 4895, so as to enable the Department of Labor to collect reliable statistics for its reports. 16. That the Government be urged to grant labor organisations direct representation on harbor boards.

17. That the Government be urged to introduce the referendum, with initiative in the hands of the people. 18. That the Government be urged to introduce a Bill providing for a referendum of the people on the question of the abolition ot the Upper House. 19. That the Shipping and 'Seamen's Act of 1890 be so amended as to provide that seamen who come under the Act shall receive the benefits provided for in the Act, whether the articles of agreement have expired or otherwise.

20. That it be a recommendation to the Government to amend clause 10 of the Shipping and Seamen's Act Amendment Act, 1894, by striking out the words "if the seamen shall make a statutory declaration that he i 3 entitled to ship," and inserting in lieu thereof "that a seaman shall satisfy the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine that he is entitled to ship." 21. That the various Shipping and Seamen's Act be consolidated and brought up to date. 22. That the Government be urged to grant special facilities to city and county councils, in respect to both lands and money, towards tho establishment of State farms to be worked under local Government control.

23. That the Sunday Labor in Mines Prevention Bill be amended by providing that before permits for more than one Sunday can be issued by the Inspector of Mines, at least 14 days" notice shall be given of application in one or more local papers of the intention of so working, and the public given an opportunity to object to the issue of such permits ; and in no case shall a permit be issued for the purpose of a'lowing any ore-crushing mill to be worked on Sunday. 24. That inspectors be appointed under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act to see that agreements and awards are properly carried out. 25. With a view to making it unnecessary to waste the time of our boys in State schools with military drill, that the Government be urged to make provision for a thorough system of colonial defence, by means of rifle clubs and rifle ranges in every district in the colony, the clubs to be open to all men above the age of 17. 26. That the Government be urged to largely increase the appropriation for technical education to provide sufficient buildings and instructors, so as to extend the advantages of the system to the smaller centres of population. 27. That the Government be requested to see that proper accommodation ladders are provided in the holds of vessels and hullis for workmen to come up and go down in safety. 28. That the Government be urged to appoint inspectors to examine all gear, blocks, and running gear on board hulks at least once in every six months.

29. That the Government be urged to see that proper ventilation is provided in ships' holds, and that naked lights be prohibited where workmen are employed m ships' or hulks' holds. 30. That the municipal council of the colony be urged to press forward the work of municipalising such various public conveniences as trams, gas, electric lighting, baths and wash-houses, lecture halls, places of amusement; also that they undertake the building of workmen's dwellings. 31. That inspectors of scaffolding be appointed, so as to ensure safety of life and limb to workmen engaged in the construction of new buildings.