The Demand of Labour.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 109, 1 October 1901, Page 1

The Demand of Labour.

- eptembet 27. A deputation representing. t lie execu* tive of the Wellington Tirades Council (which* it was explained* was acting M executive for the Trades Council# of the colony for this year) waited on the Premier to-night la regard to labour matte's. Mr W. Naughtofl (President) Said thal with regard to the proposal that trades unions should b» registered as industrial unions, it Whs held that there was no necessity for that, inamuchasall trade® Union® had been registered under the Act of 1878; moreover, it would site result in multiplying the unions. They objected to the proposed amendment in clause 86, in the direction of mailing it possible for a Judge to limit au award Co a portion of a district. The award should be made to apply to a whole district, otherwise it might work Unjustly. They asked that the Judge of the Arbitral! m Cottrt should be em* powered to override an indus'Hal agree* ment. Mr Naughton objected to certain resolutions recently gassed by the Wellington Employers* Association, and said that the suggestion that each side should appoint two delegates would not be practicable, especially as the representatives of the workmen Would be matted’’by their employers. Mr Cooper, secretary of the Trade® Council, said that it had been complained that the unionists Were keeping the colony in a state of industrial strife, but there w#u’.d be no finality until they gob what they wanted, namely, a week of forty-four hours.

The Premier, in reply t© the sagged* turn that trades onions should be included in: the amending legislation with regard to Industrial Unions, said that this .had been opposed by the employers, and it was now opposed by the Trades Council. He had gone. imO the matter, however, and it had been submitted to him that unless this were done there would be unions outside ihft industrial unions which Would not bs bound by the awards. lie thought there was power, if the Judge of the Arbitration Court did not do so, that the GovetUor should declare outside workers to bo related to a particular, industry, and the award would then apply. However, he Would have to loolt carefully into this matter before ex* pressing any opinion as to the Work of ft Judge. The Act claims that an award should apply to the whole of a district. This was the law at prfisant, and i> would be better to keep it that way* With regard to the application that tbt Judge of the Arbitration Court, should have power to override industrial agree* meats, this was a big question. Such ft proceeding would be against equity, and - it would have to be a very extreme case in which that should work. Speaking of the .point raised in regard to the “ marked ” men. Mr Seddon said that he had noticed that employers bad been guilty in that respect. He con* demned the action of such employers, and said that it had caused him in seme cases to step in where men had suffered in this way, and, other con* ditions being equal, to give them Govern* ment employment where it offered. Be was not satisfied with the present constitution of the Conciliation Boards, and considered that there was room faff improvem: at. He was inclined to think that if there were trained men to taka evidence it would be preferable. In con* elusion, he raid that the colony was in » better position than any other part of tfaft British Empire, so far as condit ions of labour were concerned. The condition of both the workers and employers had improved, that of the la ter in greater proportion, if anything. He looked forward next year to a period of indus* trial peace.