WATERSIDE WORKERS' CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 163, 1 July 1908, Page 2

WATERSIDE WORKERS' CONFERENCE.

%lYegrapli.- t'ri'ss Association. Wellington, Tuesday. ' n| - (vii terside workers opwd Burton, chairman, presided. Delegates were present Iroiu Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Jhiiieilm, West pol l, (ircyinuuMi, Uishornc. and Napier. laplaiii JCvanS, .Murine Superintendent Of til,. Shaw, Saviil and Albion Co., wrote to tlKrWellington Union suggest"K 'hat wooden boxes suitable for men a clothing should In; placed on the decks ol vessels fur tlie use of,llioi* en(?'n"d in loading operations. The writer Slid it was a remarkable fact that (Ires "n Australian-loaded vessels were few n'mpureil itli those on vessels loaded »' New Zealand. The letter caused a •uij; discussion. Eventually, on the motion of Mr. Jones (Wellington) it was resolved: "That the question of compelling men to leave their clothes- on ilce< or in iiny speeilied place is an ill-, »uit to their integrity, and .such a fys"»i would lend to make employer* enref; I, ut tlle health of those employed. J-he movor of the resolution denied that more hres occurred on ships loaded m New Zealand than on others.

1 'I, ~ , Wellington, Last Night, -it the federated waterside workers' foitlorcncc a year of stcadv progress in . building up the organisation of the legation;was recorded in the second unsual report of the secretary, The ' fl was shown by iiui.- r'' " le ril ' conference in ■ 01) four unions had been represented Tvi' J ih( ' immb(!r »'as six, while at .he present conference eight unions liad liieet representation The numerical strength of the affiliated unions was 2110 in HMO, )J4ofl in 1}»07, and 4800 at , present time; The federation was ■ill I in its infancy) and a great deal find Vvi't to lie done. l)ut the progress made (Jiiiipared nio^jtr.vorablv-with that of •antiJnr y»s<ini«ations elsewhere. The lhi;iiaes.4vei'e on a sound basis, but tho •: tnions wfiX'h were affiliated would have spend uore largely in advancing the tvork if tin. federation was to be of greater sefviei' The large volume of ''oiiespondiniee which had passed between i| K , extcutive „ m i the unions seemed tojindifcte that the latter wore i the value of the federation 'is a centi'f of init.y. It liad been found 'hilt- the .Labor Department liad been '•ead.v to 'eonsilt with .and help the K.eeiitive . whenever difficulties had prison, Jl'ost <il the work done had been "l the direction of strengthening the positions of the unions in alliliatiou. Altogether the unions were making steady advance*. The conclusion of the report was a plea for fuller and more widespread organisation. , I here win considerable discussion, in I'ilincnt, on a troulile which had arisen over the cancellation and tile registration ot the Duncdin Wharf Laborers' I iiion. It was ultimately decided that this conference, on behalf'of the federation, uphold* the action of the Dnnedin J niou in demanding' (lie cancellation of its registration. Another committee matter was I lie refusal of the men at dishorns to worl: i l . a lower rate of wages. After an c\planation by the Oisborne reprcs'.'it' itive and some discussion, it was divided tliat tliis conference endorses the 1 ' n of the Ciosbirne men in refusing ' ■ i'< at (lie reduced rate, and, if lie:-;--. ~ , will support the (iisborue Union fiii:tti , eially,

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