FRIDAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

Maoriland Worker, Volume I, Issue 7, 20 March 1911, Page 6

FRIDAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

The Conference was resumed on Friday, 17th February, at 9 a.m. Tike Chairman said that when the previous day's meeting was adjourned matters were at a deadlock. He hoped some final decision would be arrived at that- day. At the previous conference it had been decided that the Federation should advance £2000 for the establishment of a Labour paper, and the Shearers should do likewise, and further that tbo Shearers, would have equal representation on the Board of Control. Unfortunately, circumstances had arisen which made it impossible for the Shearers to find the' £2000 at once. No douibt they could borrow the money as the Federation had done. In the opinion of several of the delegates the full amount of capital (£4000) was not necessary, and there was no occasion to borrow th* £2000 promised by the Shearers. The Federation wished to take over the paper without giving the Shearers any control or say in the future running of the journal. That was not fair. The Shearers had decided by a large majority to join the Federation, and shared the responsibility of refunding the £2000' already in hand. The matter was in the hands of the Federation, and he hoped it would be dealt with in a manner which would be in the best interests of Labour. Mr Laracy said the Federation should take into consideration tne> fact that the Shearers' Union could be increased to 7000 by proper organisation. What they should do was to get a paper established as soon as possible, and not allow questions of £ s. d. to enter too much into the matter. Mr. Do'Wgray pointed out that there was a proviso in the resolution come to at last conference providing for -joint control of the official organ of the Federation. Had the Federation not come to thft assistance of the "Maoriland Worker," they could not have gone on with the paper. Mr Laracy, replying to Mr. Dowgray, mentioned some of the difficulties encountered in running the "Worker." Their members did not understand the position. The paper did not come into touch with one-fourth of the men. Some discussion ensued as to the circulation of the "Worker." Mr. Hickey endorsed the remarks of Mr. Dowgray. Had the Federation not rendered the journal assistance, it would have been bankrupt. It would have been just as easy for the Federation to' have started a paper right off. (Mr. Laracy : A rival paper ?) No, not a rival paper. We suppose the Shearers will be loyal to the Federation, and support the official organ. Mr. Webb referred to the distribution of the paper on the West Coast. The Miners had to go round and circulate the "Worker." He asked the Shearers to put themselves in the place of the Federation Executive. They must face the position. Their members had placed £2000 in their hands for the purpose of establishing a paper; they had been empowered by conference to invest that money in a plant. At the last conference the Executive of the Federation had laid stress on the fact that £2000 capital was sufficient. The Shearers then thought otherwise. Every member of the Shearers'' Union would support a paper devoted to furthering Industrial Unionism and Socialism. Tihe Shearers themselves, had the respective positions been reversed, would have taken up the attitude of the Federation. The Federation Executive had to consider the members of their organisation. Was it fair of the Shearers to ask representation on the board of the "Maoriland Worker" without putting money into the funds of the paper? If the paper were to cease publication in two weeks, what would be the position? Who would be responsible? (Voicas from Shearers' delegates: The Federation.) It was not the case that

the Federation desired to take tike paper and give nothing in return. The Federation had nothing to gain by robbing the Shearers. The Shearers stood to gain far more from the Miners fchan they from the Shearers. He referred to the .difficulty of getting into touch with the members of the Shearers' Union, during the off seiason, and to the benefits to be derived by the Shearers in being an integral rpart of the Federation. In the ervent of trouble arising, the Shearers could render no assistance at the present time. Their object was to build uj> an organisation for the benefit of the working classes. It was a matter of one organisation running a paper for the whole democracy. They would like to come to an agreement with the Shearers, but the matter had to be considered from a business point of view. They were responsible for money entrusted to them. The Federation was morally bound to go on with the scheme for establishing a paper. 'Was it fair to ask an organisation to put in £2000 and allow others bo have a say in the management of the journal? Whatever step was taken should be taken as a solid body. If that was done Shearers and Miners alike would be proud of the action taken. Mr- Hall thought that Mr. Webb had not put the position quite correctly. By a six to one majority the Shearers had decided to join the Federation. They had morally bound themselves to find the money necessary to establish the official organ of the Federation. Was it fair to ask the Shearers to join in the venture without representation, although they assumed responsibility for the capital sunk in it? What steps would the Miners take- to allow them to have a say in the policy of the paper ? Mr Semplo traced tbe rise of the Federation Against all obstacles, such ais the opposition of labour union officials and the capitalist press, they had made solid progress. They had discovered that they could not do without a paiper. At last Conference it was decided something should be done to provide one. They had got all the data as to the amount of money necessary to start a paper. The sum of £2000 had been fixed upon as the amount needed. The money was not borrowed from outside sources. It had been given by the Unions within the Federation on certain conditions : many of these would take no interest for the money they had lent. At the close of last Conference Mr. Laracy had approached Mr. Mickey in regard to tne paper. They desired to start on clean lines, so that they could do some honest work on behalf of the workers. Mr. .Laracy recommended that the matter should be talked over with Miss itout. The Shearers had offered to join forces with the."Weekly Herald," and had offered the latter liberal terms, which were refused. The Miners would have' nothing to do with the scheme while these negotiations were in progress. A little while after, Mr. Howard was appointed by the Shearers to do some organising work He assured the Miners that the "Herald" scheme was dead, and the Shearers were trying to build up an independent pap-ei*. The Miners said in that case they were prepared to work with the Shearers. The Shearers were of opinon that £2000 was not sufficient capital. It was then agreed that £4000 should be raised. The Miners had accepted the proposals of the Shearers and agreed to assist the "Maoriland Worker 7 ' for a certain period. The Miners had fulfilled their part of the contract in its entirety. The Miners' own scheme for starting a paper had been postponed for six months. Now they found that their own information in regard to the amount of capital required was correct. They were prepared to advance the £2000 promised by them. The Shearers were placed in the awkward position of not being able to find a like sum. The Federation Executive had deviated from instructions given them by their organisation. Now they were in the same position as before. The stand they took could be justified had they been able to show that the Shearers had fulfilled their promise, and the £200 spent by the Executive in connection with the paper would have been well spent. But they had nothing to show to justify that delay and expense. He failed to see how they could possibly agree to the proposal set forth by the Shearers. He was sorry to see the position the Shearers were in. But the Shearers could not ask the Federation to shoulder further responsibilities. Every man in the Federation was a criticj and would enquire into the actions of the Executive. Mr. Langston considered the discussion a needless one. Directly the Shearers had paid their fees they became part and parcel of the Federation. There was no need for the Shearers to put in £2000. There would be no difference made between the

Shearers and the Miners, or other bodies in the Federation. He would have liked to see £4000 put into the verture. Each of the members of the Miners' Unions had t>o pay for the pa.per, and the same applied to the Shearers. Mr. Hall asked how long would the Shearers be denied representation, after paying their fees. Mr. Webb: Until next confereune. The whole matter would be gone into then. The Shearers would be represented at the Conference on the same basis as other affiliated Unions., and the delegates would be actuated by one desire, and that was to see a really good paper established in the interests of the democracy. The best men would be elected to the Board, as the members would recognise it was a responsible position. Never in the history of the working class movement had men shown so decided a spirit as tiiey liad done in connection with their scheme for running a paper. There were Unions prepared to laise a few more thousand pounds if they were told it was required, and if necessary the State Miners would mortgage their hall and everything else to raise the money. They would say : "Take ail we have in order to publish a paper to educate the working class." The Miners could have sstarted a paper with a guaranteed circulation of 5000. Mr. Hall asked if the "Maoriland Worker" would be continued so as to conserve the work already done. Mr. Webb : That is a mater for further discussion. The Federation has determined to get a plant as early as possible. Mr. Hickey said the Shearers were part and parcel of the Federation. They should realise that when the annuai conference was held they wotiid have a voice in appointing a, board to control the paper. He reviewed the position and claimed that the Federation was equally responsible with the Shearers for the "Maoriland Worker." The Executive had not the power, nor wo aid he agree, to give representation to the Shearers at the present time. After some further discussion along the same lines, Mr. Sempie pointed out that the whole responsibility for the £2000 already in hand lay with the Miners. It would be ridiculous, therefore, to ask the Shearers to shoulder their (the Miners') responsibilities- If anything happened the members of the Miners' Unions would say they did not recognise the Shearers in the matter at all. The official organ would be only in its baby stages when the annual conference met. Mr. Glover, replying to Mr. Hall, said he assumed that the Shearers were not morally liable for "bh© £2000, although legally they were so. Sir. Hogg suggested that the Shearers' delegates be retained as consultative members of the Board of Control. The Chairman then asked the Federation delegates to withdraw in order that the Shearers might discuss the matter fully among themselves. After a short interval the Federation delegates were recalled, and informed that after consideration the Shearers had agreed with one dissentient (Mr Laracy) to waive any claim they might have had to representation on the Board of Control. They would not ask to be made consultative members. They were content in order to conserve the work done in an endeavour to build up the paper, that the "Maoriland Worker" should be handed over to the Federation of Labour, the Federation in return agreeing to bring out the paper monthly until a plant could be obtained and all arrangements made for the issue of the "Worker" as a, weekly paper. The President of the Shearers' Federation, in closing the conference, congratulated the representatives of both bodies on the satisfactory conclusion arrived at, which he believed would result in good work being done for the democracy of New Zealand. [Read, and approved by M. Laracy, organiser, Shearers' Association. —Ed.j "M.WV'j