TRADES & LABOR CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 281, 20 April 1911, Page 5

TRADES & LABOR CONFERENCE

AN OBJECTIVE DEFINED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, L:ist Night. The Trades and Labor Conference resumed to-day. The president was requested to confer with Mr. Webb, president of the Miners' Federation of Labor, as to a conference for the purposes of considering amalgamation. It was decided that the conference be represented at the conference of the New Zealand Labor Party, and Messrs. Reardon, Paul, and Iloring were appointed a deputation to wait on that conference. A lengthy discussion ensued on a remit proposing that the constitution be amended to provide that the objective should be the "socialisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange." As an amendment, Mr. McLaren moved "That the general objective of the Federation should be public ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange, by means of democratic reforms enacted and administered in the interests of the collective body of the ! people." This was agreed to by 12 votes to 6. A further amendment was proposed by Mr. Breen as follows, "To maintain upon the Statute-book- all legislation that has already been enacted, and to insist upon its sympathetic and proper administration; to enact comprehensive measures and establish such conditions as will foster and ensure equality of opportunity, also the moral, material, and educational advancement and general comfort and wellbeing of the whole people, based upon the gradual public ownership of all the means of production, distribution, and exchange." This was agreed to by 11 to 7. When it was put as a substantive motion, Mr. W. T. Young contended that Mr. Breen's proposal was no objective at all. It was a string of inconsequential objects of a wishy-washy character. He complained that he had been trapped by the Wellington and Dunedin delegates. The procedure followed was disgusting, and was of the sort that drove men out of the movement. He would move a further amendment, that the three proposals which had been submitted to the conference be referred to a plebiscite of the unions. Mr. Horning seconded this.

Mr. Whiting raised a point of order that Mr. Young's amendment was out of order, and the chairman upheld this objection. Mr. Breen's motion was carried on the voices. Mr. Young then gave notice of motion in the terms of his amendment. The president (Mr. Rcardon) reported that he had conferred with Mr. Webb, who reported that he was unable to get the members of the Miners' Federation to Christchurch in less than a week's time. The best he could do was to consult members of the executive by post and telegraph for the best suggestions they could make regarding the proposed conference. A remit proposing deletion from the constitution of the clause dealing with political action was agreed to. The incoming executive was instructed to apply for registration of the Federation under the Unclassified Societies Act. The Conference congratulated the Wellington Trades Council on securing a poll for the Saturday half-holiday, and wished it success. The conference then adjourned till tomorrow.