LABORERS' CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 221, 29 December 1910, Page 5

LABORERS' CONFERENCE

BIGGER WAGES WANTED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Tlie whole of the afternoon sitting at the general laborers' conference was devoted to the discussion of new claims. The general expression of the delegates was that it was useless to expect anything from the Arbitration Court, in view of the statements of the President of the Court in the Gisborne painters - ' case, Wellington cooks' and waiters,' and other cases, the statement being in effect that the Court was not prepared to give any further concessions in ; wages at the present time. The conference came to the conclusion that the union should approach the employers wth a request for better working terms. At the present time the minimum pay is Is lVjid an hour in Wellington, and Is an hour in the country districts. The | conference decided to ask for a mini-1 mum of Is 3d an hour all round, both in town and country. In regard to local bodies it was decided to make the question of improved conditions for employees a test question at the municipal elections. If local bodies are not prepared to meet the union in a spirit of conciliation in regard to more favorable conditions, arid if municipalities will not submit, the unions in each of the dstricts concerned will be asked to support the laborers in their > demands for better terms from aspiring municipal candidates. The Arbitration Court was the last alternative. The question of striking was also considered, but it was feared that at the present time .laborers were not sufficiently organised to carry a strike through with beneficial, results. The conference is not open to the Press.