PRESENTATION TO MR TREGEAR

Grey River Argus, 22 April 1911, Page 5

PRESENTATION TO MR TREGEAR

4*» .liy 'J ele graph — per Press Association) CHRISTCHURCIJ',- April 21 At a social function held last night in connection with the Trades and Labour Council's Federation of Labour Conference, Mr E. Tregear, ex-Secretary of Labour, was presented with an illuminated address and, on behalf of Mrs Tregear, " v^hh a purse of sovereigns. In the course of his acknowledgment Mr Tregear "said that some bitter attacks had been made on the LoncuTation and Arbitration Acts. He had Taeen silent for twenty years (laughter), and now he wanted to tell them his real position. Until the workers were actually and , practically determined to make an end to competitive wage system they would never find a principle so just and sane as that of arbitration. That was his opinion twenty years ago and that was his opinion still. The arbitration system did not belong to trie past, but to the future. Mr iregear concluded his speech amid rousing cheers and a renewal of the demonstration which had preceded his address.