“IN THINGS ESSENTIAL UNITY.”

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 36, 10 November 1911, Page 15

“IN THINGS ESSENTIAL UNITY.”

Preamble.

We hold that all men are created to be free, and should have equal access and opportunity to the enjoyment of all benefits to be derived from their exertions in dealing with the natural resources of the earth, and that- free access and equal opportunity -thereto are absolutely necessary to man's existence and the upAvard progress of the human race- Through the rapid gathering of Avealth and the centreing of the management of industries into fewer and fewer hands, Trades Unions are unable to cope Avith the ever-groAV-, ing power of the employing class, because Trades Unions foster a state of things which alloAvs one set of Avorkers to he pitted, against another set of workers, thereby helping to defeat one another in wage Avars. These conditions can be changed and the interests .of the working class upheld only by an organisation formed in such a way that if the necessity, arises all its members shall make an injury to one an injury to all. Therefore w>e deem it necessary to organise and maintain the Ncav Zealand Federation* of Labor. Amongst oiir laAvful purposes we declare more especially, our objects to be :—- ---RULE I.—OBJECTS. Clause 1. —To create and maintain a fund for* such purposes, in harmony Avith and promotive of the this Federation, as shall approve themselves to the Executive Committee thereof. . Clause 2. —To improve the condition and protect the interests of the members of the Federation by increasing the proportionate share of the Avealth of the workers, shortening the hours of labor, and endeavouring to educate for

The word "revolution" is tlie bug-i bear of little-minds. Why? Because j they do not, uiOjderstaud it. Destruc- j tion is only the spade-work of revolu- j tion. The constructive demand's strong minds aaid strong hands.

the complete abolition of the present Avage system, and the substitution of the common ownership of the means of production. Clause 3. —To secure employment-of our members in preference to nonunionists ; to maintain a. spirit of fraternal sympathy Avith the workers of this and other countries by assisting . them when necessary. ' Clause 4. —To use our united efforts to discourage the contract labor and bonus system, and as soon as -possible to abolish these, believing the said systems to be. detrimental to the best interests of organised labor. Clause 5. —To enable and provide for the Federation to oavii, publish, and control a weekly neAvspaper . Clause 6. —To ensure to members Avho are proved to have been unjustly treated the support of the Federation. ROLE .11.—CONSTITUTION. Clause 1.- —This organisation shall be knoAvn as the "New Zealand Federation ] of Labor." Clause. 2.—(a) The New Zealand Federation of Labor shall be composed j of actual wage-earners, brought _ to- j gether in a Federation of _ Unions \ and individual members, providing they ; subscribe to the principles and objects j of this organisation. j (b) Individual members shall mean j actual Avage-Avorkers who desire to at- j tach themselves to the N.Z.F.L. until such.time as a branch of the said j organisation, to which they are eligible, shall be -organised in the localty where ; the individual member may reside. (c) No_ organisation shall be permit- j ted to join the Federation without first taking a .referendum affirming the desirability of joining aforesaid Federation. Clause 3.—Federations of Industries and 'Unions affiliated with the N.Z. F.L. shall haA'e complete industrial autonomy in their respective internal affairs, providing that the general executive shall have poAver to control these organisations in matters concern- ■ ing the interests of the general welfare. . Clause 4. —Any union of workers or individuals may become affiliated as hereinbefore provided by paying the quarter's contributions of Is per member in advance. (5) Federation of Unions shall be admitted on paying the' quarter's contributions of 6d per member in advance.' Federation of Unions to mean N.Z. Federation of Unions. Clause 5. —Delegates representing a j majority- of members comprising the Federation shall constitute a quorum. Clause 6. —Revenue and . Disbursements : The revenue of the Federation : shall be derived from an annual per : capita tax upon every financial member, to be paid by each Union quarter- ■ ly in -adA'.ance, and in case of emergency j such levies as, in the judgment of the j Executive Committee, may be neces- ! sary. The same shall be based and paid j on the preceding report previous to ,j such levy. I

Clause 7. —The annual conference of the N.Z.F.L. shall. be the supreme legislative 'body of the organisation, and its actions and enactments shall have,legal force, unless reversed upon a referendum A r ote of the Avhole membership, touching any and all amendments to the organic la-Ay which conference may adopt.' A referendum shall only be taken Avhen in the opinion of the Executive it is necessary; or on a requisition,, signed by not less than 1000 financial members.

Clause 8. —Representation in this Federation for all purposes Avhatever shall be based upon the dues paid by any Union. Each Union shall be entitled to one for one hundred members or less, and one A-ote for each additional one hundred or majority fraction thereof, p-roA r ided no Union shall send more than three delegates to any conference. Voting on all questions to be by proxy in .the same proportion.

Clause 9. —Representation at the annual conference shall be based on the January report prior to the holding of the conference, and the January -report of each year shall be an annual report, provided, in case a special conference is held, the representation shall be based on the last report prior to the calling of the special conference.

Clause 10. —Delegates from Unions to the annual conference shall he paid by the Federation on the basis of one delegate for-every 375 members or less, two delegates for 375 to 750," above 750 three delegates. Delegates shall be paid 22s 6d per day, Avith second-class railroad and first-class steamship fares, to and from the seat of conference. Delegates from Federation of Unions shall be paid on the basis of one delegate for 750 members or less, -tiwo delegates from 750 to 1500, OA~e<r'lsoo three delegates.

Clause 11. —The Federation may be dissoh-ed by a 4-5 -(four-fifths) majority of the members A'oting' by ballot in favour of such dissolution.

Clause 12. —Alteration of- Rules : No new- rules shall be made., nor shall any of the rules herein contained be amended, altered, or rescinded, unless a notice to that effect he given to the secretary, signed by the proposer and seconder, distinctly .stating such alteration or neAV rule, at the conclusion of the first day of the annual conference, when the delegates present at the following sitting' shall decide the -same. All ' alterations, amendments, or jxcav rules ■•shall.Be submitted to the Registrar- of Friendly Societies.

Any cat in Munich, Germany, for which an annual tax of five shillings has not heen paid, and which d««e-s not possessfca collar Avith a metal tag, is liable to be caught and killed by a special corps of cat-catchers.