EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 6 September 1907, Page 2

EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION.

A well-attended, meeting of the New' Plymouth Employers' Association was held last evening, Mr Goodaere (President) being in the chair. The Secretary (Mr Whitaker), who attended the Employers' Federation Conference at Wellington last week, gave an account of the main subjects dealt with at the Conference, particularly the new proposals of the Minister of Labor in regard to industrial arbitration, (A summary of the Confer ence's proceedings appeared in oui telegraphis columns last week). The proposed amendments to th; Factories Act was discussed at length The. amendment provides that where ii a borough having a population of Jes: than 5000 a factory and shop are com billed under the management of tin same occupier, it shall be sufficient com pliance with the provisions of sectioi 33 relating to the half-holiday if th occupier of the factory allows a hali holiday on the day appointed for th statutory half-holiday under the Shop and Offices Act. 1901, in lieu of oi Saturday; providing that he gives th Inspector one month's notice in writin] stating his intention to do so. Thi clans® has, of course, nothing to di with ordinary shops having no wort shop or workroom connected. Thes come.under the .Shops and Offices Ad 1004. New Plymouth possessing a gren ter population than 5000, the clause i passed will not disturb the present cor dilion of things, but there is the poss: bility of the size of the population basi being increased to 7000, an increas that has been suggested in some quai ters, when the clause would be opers tive in the town. The general opinion of members pr( sent was that the matter of observanc of the half-holiday should be optiona and the following resolution was oai vied:—''That this meeting- of employer strongly urges the Hon. Minister o Labor to amend elause 0, sub-sectio: 2, of the Factories Act Amendment s< that it may be optional in any boi ough outside the chief centres, wher factories and shops are combined, ti obsorve the half-holiday under th Shops Act in lieu of Saturday, an. heartily supports the New Zealand Eir ployers' Federation in their efforts t secure this important privilege." A copy of the resolution is to be foi warded to the Minister of Labor, th Premier and the Taranaki members o the House of Representatives, whils employers' associations in other centre are to bo communicated with and askei to take action in the matter.

It was alsq decided to authorise tho secretary to draw up a potitian in terms of tlie motion and obtain signatures of employers and forward to the Minister of Labor. (The secretary will call on employers to-day for the purpose of obtaining signatures to the petition). A committee was set up to consider tho proposed amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Apt. Thq committee, wliich consists of Mewrs' Goodacre, Baker, Honor, Amburv, V\' Weston, Whitaker and List, wV given full power to act. I

It was 'mentioned that the rules of the Association had been passed mdl Were being printed. 1

The secretary reported that so far' seventeen subscriptions had been 10coived. No collecting, however, had' yet been done.

It was resolved, "That it be a reeom-, 1 mendation to the Executive to appoint' a solicitor, to whom can be referred! |inatieis upon whu-h tho Association ro? quires opinions.'* A vote of thanks was accorded to the secretary for the able wav ill which he had represented the Association at the Wellington Conference, and for tho succinct account he rendered of the proceedings.'? * 1