I.—lo.

34

Notes on Consideration of above Report by Executive Committee. 1. That the Board should be so constituted that those who judge the dispute should be chosen from the ranks of the trade engaged in the dispute. 2. That Arbitration Court decisions should aim at being uniform for the whole colony. Wellington, 22nd March, 1900.

Consideration of Conciliation and Arbitration Bill. From the Wellington Employees' Association. Clause 2 : Add to line 17, " employing workers." Clause 3 —Line 13, subsection 2, (d) : Strongly protest against this, on the grounds that the bulk of the workers are not unionists. H. Warner, a representative of the Carpenters' Union, yesterday at Wellington Conciliation Board said there were nine hundred, and Mr. Bolland, a member of the union, on oath, said there were at least five hundred carpenters in Wellington; the secretary (Mr. Scott) of the union said that the members of the union amounted to about one hundred : and yet they claim preference. Also quote Harbour Board leaflet. (1.) An individual member of the union shall not refuse work when offered it; if he does, the union should be responsible. (2.) Should be liable to their employers for the good behaviour of its individual members—for damage through gross carelessness, wilful destruction of property, loss through absence on account of drunkenness, petty theft, pillage of cargo, &c. Clause 5 : Kules of unions should be made more strict. They should provide that each union must guarantee all its members to be bond fide tradesmen in the business or trade represented by that union. That any worker proved to be dishonest be immediately expelled from the union to which he may belong. That the officers of one industrial union should be ineligible to hold any office in another industrial union. Clause 12 : Approve; but make it quite clear. A man must be on one side or another. Clause 21: Limit the number of associations to one to each district. Clause 17, (6): Eegistrar should give a notice of, say, three weeks. Clause 32 : That twenty-one days' notice instead of three should be given. Clause 36 : Advocate Board to be constituted of two assessors on each side, selected from the particular trade in dispute, and the Chairman be permanent, and a Magistrate or a lawyer. Clause 41, (4) : Cut out all words after "imprisonment." Old Act clause 28 should be reinstated. Clause 53 : Add the words "the clerk shall be empowered to supply certified copies at (say, one shilling) reasonable charge." Clause 55 : After the words " all the parties " add " or their attorneys." Clause 57, subsection (2): Eeinstate clause 46 of old Act, 1894. Clause 66 : Strike out " for six months or upwards " (line 39). Clause 76 : Shorthand report of evidence should be taken. Clause 85, (c): That awards should apply, whenever the Court deems it expedient, to the whole colony. Clause 86, (1) : That the power to amend should be limited to three months. Clause 87, (2) : Alter to twenty-one days to give time to procure evidence. (3) Extend so that in every case the privilege may be accorded to parties to a dispute to elect to take their case direct to the Court. Government reserves this right in case of railways, see section 104, subsection (4). Clause 96, (2) : Ask how can an industrial association bring a dispute ? Clause 113 : Strike out; make apply to Government departments. Wellington, 12th July, 1900.

From the Operative Tailors' Union. A dispute is pending in the order-tailoring trade. Act as at present not workable. Order-work and factory-work should be defined so as to arrive at a fair award, see June Labour Journal,. Christchurch tailors re Munday and Armstrong. Auckland trade more complicated. Auckland, 11th July, 1900.

From the Amalgamated Society op Caepenters and Joiners. This Board indorses the recommendations of the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council re the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill now before the House of Eepresentatives. Christchurch, 11th July, 1900.

From the Shag Point Section of Coal-miners, Industrial Union of Workers of Otago. That power may be given to a committee to strike a member off the roll who has left the district and been absent for more than three months (section 3). And section sof the latest amended Act relating to notification through the post to members.

From the Wellington Trades Council. Council approves of the insertion of subsection (d) of clause 2. Aso of the interpretation of " worker " in the same clause (2). Clauses 3 and 4 : Council is entirely in sympathy with these two new clauses.