LABOR IN CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 181, 22 July 1908, Page 2

LABOR IN CONFERENCE

By Telegraph.—Proas Association. , Wellington, Last Night. ■Hie trades and Labor Conference passed a resolution allirming the need tor the statutory limitation of workin" hours to 44 per week. -Air. J. Alsweiler (Invcrcargill) moved that the Arbitration Act be amended to provide that where the necessity occurs of discharging hands in any industry under an award (he employees mav demand a ballot lo decide which of their number shali be discharged. Mr A. 11. Cooper (Wellington) moved as an amendment to provide that the onus be placed on an employer to prove that an employee had been discharged for some legitimate cause. The amendment *„s earned.

Mr. Long (Auckland) moved that in Hie opinion of this conference prefor-i cnee to unionists shall be compulsory and not at the discretion of the Arbitration Court, as the capricious withholding of the preference clause from I such iimons as seamen's, tramways'and carters „„i„ lls , ( . ausp (h( , lvor ,;. ers tfl mse lanh m the Administration of the Arbitration Act. A good deal of discussion arose as to whether preference to unions should be statutory and inn conditional, and a motion was moved to have these words embodied in Mr. Longs motion. It lvas tinallv decided unit the words '■unconditionally 1 ' and compulsory" should not be included prolerence only to lie statutory. The '"'•yon Hi the amended form was car-.