TRADES UNION CONGRESS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8913, 5 September 1907, Page 2

TRADES UNION CONGRESS.

Programme of Reforms

Press Association. —Copyright. London, September 3. The Congress by 085,000 votes to 049,000 rejected a resolution discouraging employment on Sundays. Several speakers declared the resolution embraced the spirit of Sabbatarianism. It would bo sufficient, they said, to try to restrict the hours of labour, securing the workers one day in seven, not necessarily Sunday. John Burns Attacked. London, September 4. Mr Gill, Labour member of the House of Commons, advocated os a week pension to all over 60 years of age and suggested that Mr Asquith should tax the unearned increment of landlords, mining royalties and increase the duties on great estates. In connection with the report on unemnloyment, several delegates violently attacked Mr John Burns, describing him as a lost soul.

■After an animated discussion on the relations of the Labour Party and Trade Unions, it was decided to continue to try to attain complete Parliamentary unity. Five hundred and twenty-five delegates, representing 1,700,000 members, are attending the fortieth annual Trades Union Congress at Bath. Thirty-six Labour members of the House of Commons are present. The Parliamentary Committee’s report recommends members to support a miners’ legal eight hours’ day, reduction of hours of all trades, old ago pensions, legislation dealing with the unemployed problem, compulsory State insurance, land nationalisation, amendment of the property laws, and the legal restriction of systematic overtime. Mr A. H. Gill, member of the House of Commons, is presiding. He advanced old ago pensions as the first plank of the programme, the pension to he universal, noncontributory. - and non-discriminating. He declared it was the Chancellor’s duty to find the money from sources which could bo legitimately tapped.