SAWMILL EMPLOYEES

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

SAWMILL EMPLOYEES

AND LABOR QUESTION'S. By Telegraph. —Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. At the Sawmill Employees Conference a remit that the President of the Court of Arbiration be elected instead of appointed, and that he be not a judge of the Supreme Court, was negatived, no delegate voting for it. The conference affirmed the principle of statutory and unconditional preference to unionists, and agreed to remits that 44 hours should constitute a week's work; that the Government be urged to extend the State sawmills, coal and firewood yards, and establish timber yards to regulate the price of timber; that re-afforesta-tion be urged upon the Government. A remit raising the question of the union joining one or other of the Labor Federations was struck out. Thu Miners' Federation was severely criticised and termed "a rabble" and "a revolutionary mob." It was agreed that the unions affiliated to the Sawmills' Federation should consider the advisableness of joining the Trades Councils Federation of Labor. It was decided to protest strongly against the Government's immigration policy. The next conference will bo held at Timaru next Easter.