LABOR IN CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 322, 22 January 1908, Page 2

LABOR IN CONFERENCE.

SOCIAL LEGISLATION. Received Jan, 21, <J p.m. Ivondon, January 21. Four hundred delegates, representing 1,072,41:1 unionists, attended the Hu.fi Imlior Conference. •Mr. Hudson, M.P., who presided, brielly n I'n-wed the social legislation of the past year. He insisted that the oldage pensions and unemployed questions .specially required attention. He claimed that the outcry against socialism wns really educating trade unionists to regard it favorably. The Conference resolved to appoint a party election agent. I The admission of the Women's Labjr League was sanctioned. The annual conference of the Labor Party now being held at Hull is tliu eighth, and is expected to last three days. The Labor Party's Bill divider the unemployed into three classes—(l) The skilled and able workman temporarily out of work, who would be dealt with on what is known as the Elbcrfe'.d system; (2) the workman who has probably been permanently displaced by machinery, or who is too old to take a further part in the rush of factory life —this man is to be placed in the country in industrial villages; (3) the class called unemployable, who arc to be dealt with as semi-criminals, in peual farm colonies. The Paper Stainers' Union will move an important addition, to the objects hi the party's platform by adding the words—"Whose ultimate object shall lie the obtaining for the workers the h full results of their labor by the overthrow of the present competitive system of capitalism and the institution of a

system of public ownership and control of all the means of life." Amongst the other points in the resolutions to be submitted are the following:— Establishment of a daily or weekly Labor newspaper. Universal eight hours' day. Erection of national and municipal workshops for the blind. Old-age pensions. Maintenance by'pensions of the incapable and iniiru blind. Payment of members of Parliament and their election »xpeuscs. ■Jjocal and National funds for the unemployed. Sunday closing of all hairdressers' shops. Minimum wages for Government employees of 30s per week, with a 48 hours week. All municipal aldermen to be elected by the ratepayers. Woman suffrage. A resolution is also down in the name of the General Railway Workers' Union, suggesting that a national color of white should be adopted under which to fight all elections.