WASHING LINEN.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9365, 6 February 1909, Page 2

WASHING LINEN.

LABOUR ETHIOS AND STATE BILLETS.

The fact that Government positions have been offered to _ some labour leaders was obviously rankling in the minds of a few of the delegates at Thursday night’s meeting of the Trades and Labour Council, and matters came to a head when Mr D. J. Conohie brought forward the following motion Owing to the continued number Of men holding prominent positions in the trades councils of the Dominion accepting Government positions, this Council is of opinion that it is inimical to the best interests of organised labour. Mr Oonchie said he did not bring forward the motion In any personal manner, but they had had men in the council who were willing to use that body as a stepping-stone to Government positions. He did not say that the men were the most suitable for the positions, nor that the Council were well rid of them. It was a question of principle. "Whenever a man received a Government appointment, he was practically won over to his employers. He did not think the rule of the Labour Department was improved by the officials who had come from the Labour ranks. Whenever they had oases to bring in the Arbitration Court, they had to get their, information from outside sources, and oven had to complain to the minister of the lackadaisical manner in which the cases were carried through. A man had once remarked to him that at a labour conference he could always pick the man who was going to be the next Government appointee. He noticed 'that the men appointed were/ always those who took particular care not to offend the Government. The practice was for’the Government to select these men, and then say to Labour, “See what we have done for you.” Mr Dowdall seconded the motion. Mr Collins said that it was the discontent of the labour men that had pat their leaders in Government positions. They were always agitating for paid secretaries, and thus encouraged the banting for Government positions. He ' said that the mover of the motion himself had applied for a Government position as a scaffolding inspector, hub had not been appointed. Mr Naughton said he thought it was rather a pitiable thing that they should have discussions such as this. It was merely an attack on the Government which appointed men from the labour ranks to endeavour to deal fairly between employers "and employed. After they had, by agitation, got some of their members appointed as there were complaints about their unfitness for the positions. If the secretaries and presidents of the councils—their most prominent men—were not fitted for the positions, who was? He could have understood the motion if it had been that the men who held the most prominent positions should be the only ones chosen, hot as it was it appeared to be mere" petty spite and childishness. Mr Collins had stated that the mover had himself applied for a Government position, though his anion had nominated others, and yet that man got np and [complained when men were chosen who occupied prominent positions in Labour and did not apply for the Government billets. He thought there was nothing which could earn them more contempt from the general public than the passing of such a motion. Mr Dowdall said he was sorry that the discussion had become a personal attack on the mover. He was not concerned with the antecedents of the mover, but what did concern him was the fact that many of their secretaries and other officials used their positions as a means of personal aggrandisement. Whenever these men did get Government positions labour invariably found that instead of being heart and soul for the workers they were hand in glove with the employers. He thought it would be better if the secretaries of the Unions were outside thb door. Whenever a motion was brought forward those secretaries were always bound to kill it. Several members interjecting that the speaker was getting away from the point, the Chairman said: “You have only been a delegate for a little wnile, and you cannot know much about this matter.” Mr Dowdall: At any rate lam not going to he a dead delegate while 1 am here.

Mr W. T. Young said that the paid secretaries did not use their positions for personal aggrandisement. If he bad wished to he could have been out of the Union movement with personal benefit long ago. In regard to the statement that Union Secretaries should be out of the door of the Council, that statement was made by a man who had been inside the door about five minutes. He was ‘ a secretary himself, and he did everything he could to advance the labour interests. If be went out of the door he was sure that his Union had that much confidence in him that it would go out with him (A voice: Question?) Coming to the motion itself, he did not agree with it All the labour legislation on the statutes emanated from Labour, and it was best that they should have their own man to administer that legislation.. If they had to go to the other side for the administrators, they would be “licked” every time. Mr Westbrooke had been appointed recently— ' Mr Westbrooke : No! Mr Young: Well, any way he is in the Government, and I do not object to that. Mr Westbrooke: Thank yon! The speaker went on to say that the motion was practically one of censure on their Chairman, who had recently been offered a Government billet, an 1 instead of passing it they should pass one congratulating Mr Lightfoot on his appointment. Mr Noot thought it would benefit them more if they bad their own men to administer the labour legis- ( lation. If the secretaries devoted • , their time and energy to the work of the Unions, they should be paid for it. He knew that the secretary of bis Union spent far more time on his work than he would if he were in ordinary employment. Mr Parlane supported the motioh, but did not agree with the manner in which it had baen backed up. He did not think that it was in their best interests that their men should accept Government positions, thus weaken mg the labour ranks. They were very lucky in their paid secretaries. None of them ever tried to dominate the Council or take more authority upon themselves than they really possessed. A number of other delegates spoke,

Mr F. Brown asking pointedly who would please the mover as the Government appointees if he was not satisfied £with men|from the'f labour ranks, men from the employers or men who knew nothing of the matter, such as Mr Harle Giles? Mr Oonohie, in reply, admitted that he had applied for a position, ,and said that he told his Union he was making the application. He did not bring forward the motion in a personal vein, but if the cap fitted any man present he was at liberty to wear it. The Government did not ask the Council whether they approved of the appointments, and that was bow they used that method to belittle Labour. The motion was put and lost by 18 votes to 5. Mr F. Brown then moved that the Council congratulate Mr Lighfoot on the offer which had been made him of a position in the Labour Department, and hoped that his actions would justify his appointment. Mr Farlane opposed the motion strongly”sinoe he said that the acceptance of such an offer would give colour to the rumour that the leaders of the Labour movement were there for personal benefit. If the offer were refused it would do much to help on the movement. Mr Keardon said he also opposed the motion, but not for "the same reason that he had opposed the previous one. Conferences of Labour had urged that men should be chosen from the Labour ranks, and, therefore, that motion was inconsistent, but it was a different matter when it came to congratulating a man on accepting a Government position. If the offer of a position were refused it would do much to show that prominent men could not be enticed away from the Labour ranks. He hoped that Mr Brown would agree to withdraw his motion. The motion was carried by 15 to 5 on a show of hands, and on a division being called by 18 to B. Dominion.