TRADE UNIONISM IN ENGLAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 5 September 1907, Page 3

TRADE UNIONISM IN ENGLAND.

ANNUAL BRITISH CONGRESS. London, Sept., 3. Five hundred and twenty-one delegates, representing one million seven hundred thousand members, are attending the fortieth annual Trades Union Congress at Rath. Thirty-six Labor members of the House of Commons are present. The Parliamentary Committee's *eport recommends members to support legislation to establish an eight hours' day for miners; the reduction of the working hours of all trades; old Hge pensions; legislation dealing with the unemplocyd problem; 'compulsory Statf [insurance; land nationalisation; "am.mlment of the property laws; and Ie»i«live restriction of systematic overtime working.

Mr A. 11. (Jin, member of the House of Commons, presiding at the Congress advanced the old age pensions proposal: as the first plank in the Labor programme. The pension,, he said, should be universal, non-enntributorv and nandiscriminating. He declared "it was t\. e duty of the Chancellor of th" Exchequer to find the money from sources which could be legitimately tupped. OI.D-AGE PENSIONS. '•A LOST SOUL." Received Sept. 4, 10.4 p.m. London, September 4. -Mr. (Jill advocated a 5s per week pension to all over sixty years of age. He suggested Mr. Asqnith should tax the unearned increments of landlords mining royalties, and increase the duties' on great estates.

In connection with the report on unemployment, several delegates violently attacked the Rt. Hon. .Tohn Burns, describing lum as a lost soul. An animated discussion took place on the relations of the Labour party and trade unions. It was decided to continue to try and attain complete Parliamentary unity.

SUNDAY EMPLOYMENT.: Received Sept. 4, 10.4 p.m. London, September 4. Hie Bath Congress, by 685,000 votes to 649,000, rejected a resolution discouraging employment on Sundays Several speakers declared the resolution embraced the spirit of Sabbatarianism. It would be diffident to trv to restrict the hours of labour, securing the workers one day in seven. CONFERENCE OP WOMEN UNIONISTS. Received Sept. 4, 10.18 p.m. London. September 4. A conference of the Women's Trades Lnion League has opened at Bath, attended by delegates representing 110,000 working women. A resolution was earned condemning the Government's weak confused Bill dealing with laundries.