Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald and North and South Wales Independent

LABOUR DAY IN NORTH WALES. MEETINGS AT FESTINIOGL THE PENRHYN STRIKE. COMPULSORY ARBITRATION DISCUSSED DEMAND FOR A LABOUR MEMBER. The annual Labour-day Festival of the North 'Wal"s Quarrymen's Union was held at Blaenatt Festiniog on (Monday* The weather was un- favourable, but there was a large attendance at all the meetings. The chairman for the year, Mr W. W. Jones, "N ant-He, presided over the morning meeting of the General Council of the Union, which was attended by dele- gates from all the associated lodges throughout North Wales. THE FINANCIAL POSITION. The financial secretary's report and balance- sheet showed a financial position which, consider- ing the .heavy drain entailed by the Penrhyn Quarry dispute, could only be regarded as highly satisfactory. The total receipts for the year amounted to D18,245, of which only B400 ha.d been derived from other than Trade Union sources. Over B16,500 had been disbursed in the form of strike pay to Penrhyn strikers, being members of the Union out of employment, JB267 was the amount of the contribution from the Union funds to the National Federation of Trade Unions, and an almost equal amounb was re- turned to the lodges from the Union funds, while the cash balance at the bank at the close of the finanoial year was £491.. The auditors, Messrs Pritchard and Evans, reported a marked increase in the number of con- tributing members of the Union. They called attention to tlie fact that the strike pay from Union funds during, the second year of the Pen- rhyn. Quarry strike showed an increase of J36195 upon the amount disbursed for the same pur- pose during the first year of the strike. Not- withstanding this increased drain they congratu- lated tho Union on being able to show a strong financial position. ORGANISING SECRETARY'S REPORT. In his annual 1Ieport, the Organising Secretary (Mr D. R. Daniel), referring to the Penrhyn Quarry trouble, said that the numerous efforts on the men's part to terminate the struggle by an amicable arrangement had shown how sincere was' the men's desire for conciliation. The men's leaders could not possibly have gone further in the way of concessions without betraying the trust their fellow workmen had placed in them, as Veil as the principle which was involved in the whole struggle. Notwithstanding the failure of their past efforts in the direction of a settlement they were still prepared to do any- thing towards securing a settlement which any impartial authority would consider to be a just and a fair arrangement. The strike had served to show that tfhe Conciliation Act of 1896 was absolutely worthless where either of the parties in a dispute was unyielding, and where, oon- sequeutJy, it was really most needed.- It had also served' to prove that the working classes could expect no kind' of sympathy from the pre- sent Government, a Government for whose being in office the working classes of Great Britain were alone responsible. He was glad to be able to report a. satisfactory increase in the member- ship of the union, an increase generally spread over the whole of the district, and whioh he attributed to the lessons taught by the Penrhyn Quarry trouble. At the same time he directed the particular aitention of the lodges to tiie quarrvman's weakness—instability. The mem-

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HIS NAME WAS DEATH. Few more cheerful men live than the bearer of this sinister nam". Mr Charles Death lives near the Bockminster ironstone mine at Lews- tein, Lincolnshire. How his life was saved from imrriBent peril is related by him in the Gran- tham Advertiser": — Three years ago I was attacked most severely with sciatica, and bad it not been for Dr Wil- liams' pink pills for pale people I believe I should not now be alive. The pain extended from the hip to the foot, giving intense pain, and quite m. capacitated me for work." Mr Death weut on to say that he had medical treatment of the usual kind for six months. He also used ont- ward applications but without effect. At laet in his extremity Dr Williams' pink pills were tried, and he soon found that at last he had something which touched the seat of his pain, and gave him relief. Before finishing the first box he was considerably better. Before the third was empty the pain had gone, and be was able to re- port himself as completely cured. The pills are not purgative but on the contrary, strengthen- ing. The third box was finished by his wife who was then suffering from severe beadache, and who thought that what removed pain in in one part of the body might also eradicate it m another. She wag right: the piils give her complete relief. Mr Death is an active man of thjty-eight years of age, and h*s since what he regards as his wonderful recovery had no recurrence of his trouble, and is as strong and vigorous as ever. WSM ThlS straightforward and man'y testimony was unhesitatingly given, with the fnll know- ledge that it would be published to the world. So niany people have found in Dr pink pills for pa.1e people a cure for rheumatism, sciatica, paralysis, the ailments that especially afflict ladies, anaemia, kidney disease, and skin eruptions, that the roll of those who bear cheer- f 1 testimony to the merits of the genuine pilla. and who never fail to warn the public against substitutes, grows daily longer. Dr Williams' medicine company. Holborn Viaduct, London, send the genuine pills post free for two shillings and ninepence. There are few places in Britain where inquiry will not elicit confirmation oi their value, and the beat advice we can give to fill who do not know them is: II Ask your neighbours."

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bership roll still showed a. lack of continued membership of the same persons. He was con- vinced that the individual members apprecia.ted what the Union had done in securing a just acknowledgment of workmen's claims under the Compensation Act. During the past year the Union had been the means of securing «ub- stantial sums in many such cases, which with- out the intervention of the Union would pro- bably have entailed upon the claimants very con- &iderable trouble and expense, while only pro- ducing very inadequate amounts as compeusa- tion. He regretted that the decisions of the higher courts had whittled awav some important privileges which Tratie Unions for the past half- century had regarded as their inalienaible rights. Such decisions as that in the Taff Vale case had demonstrated1 that it was practically lm- 1 possible far working men effectually to combine for the improvement of their position and wages without laying themselves open to a. prosecution for a breach of the law. The fact that an error of judgment on the part of any official might endianoer the whole accumulated funds of a Trade°Union was a matter which demanded the most serious conaidera-tion of the whole labouring community. Mr Shackleton, M.P., had already introduced a bill dealing with the matter, and the whole question should be kept well in the forefront in connection with the coming general ejection. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. In the course of an address from the chair the President referred to the fact that the three years he had occupied that position had been troublous times for the Union. Before they had time to improve the status of the Union and to add to* its numerical strength the Penrhyn dispute broke out, and it bad proved the greatest industrial struggle ever experienced by the quarrymen, if not the greatest in the history of the country. Looking upon this dispute so far as the Union was concerned, he had the consolation of know- ing that he had done his utmost to bring about a peaceable settlement by advocating the justice a.nd reasonableness of the men's cause on the one hand and the just rights of the employer on the other. The men must always rely upon. the justice of their demands and upon being in en- tire unity with one another. When the Penrhyn Quarry reopened in 1901 he at first doubted whether it was possible to find 250 men who were traitors to their fellows, and that among a. class which was regarded as enlightened and religious (hear, hear). But, unfortunately, all the traitors did not return that day (laughter). He did not regard Lord Penrhyn, at the begin- ning of the twentieth century, as a. fair and honourable employer. His lordship had gone to two inexplicable extremes. One was his re- fusal to meet the men face to face to discuss their grievances except under conditions which closed their mouths before they had an oppor- tunity to speak—(hear, hear),—though it was the general belief that if his lordship only met a deputation personally the parties would come to an early understanding. The other extreme was the closeness of the contact, between him and those who- had betrayed their fellow-work- men on the memorable morning when he ad- dressed them as his friends and1 commended! them for their obedience. The Penrhyn trouble abounded in lessons which the quarrymen should take to heart. The stupendous power arrayed against them had been unmasked, and the in- ternecine dangers among the men themselves had brought them closer together. The rights and dignity of labour did1 not find their proper place on the statute-books'. The Trade Unions in England and South Wales were realising this, hence their liberal support of the Bethsj^da I. quarrymen, who were fighting for the right of electing their representatives and the right also of combining for the purpose of protecting their industrial interests and their privileges as moral beings (applause)- There were other objects which they could achieve only by combination. As working men they were entitled to a share of the ihoo;vy rates which went to uphold sine- cures and to defray the costs of wicked- wars, such share to go towards the formation of a national or State fund for the support of aged and respectable workmen. It would be a small matter for the Federation of Trade Unions to return to Parliament seventy Labour representa- tives of Mabon's type (hear, hear). The tima had oome when they ought to insist upon having the leaisehold system and other unjust laws re- moved, which shouRd^give room for other enact- J ments providing for the better housing of the working classes and1 for other much-needed re- forms affecting tkQ, comfort and welfare of the sons of toil frfese). He and others who pleaded for the3v"Teat principles were occa- sionally accused' of. teaching Socialism to their fellow-countrymen. While he held in high es- teem all ministers of religion, he dissented from those who endeavoured to interpret the cardinal principles of Christ'a teaching as things which had no bearing upon a man's life here below. Christianity was not worth professing unless it aimed honestly at removing the evils of money- making and the desire tooooome rich at the enpense of oppressing the working classes (applause). In seconding a vote of thanks to the retiring chairman, 'Mr Griffith (Edwards, secretary of the Betheada Commit/tee, strongly endorsed1 the views expressed in the presidential address -as to -the need for greater fidelity to the Union among the quarrymen. Had this been done in the past there would have been little danger of such labour disputes as that which had proved so disastrous in the case of the 'Penrhyn Quarry. I The vote was unanimously adopted. 'COMPULSORY ARBITRATION. I Mr Humphrey Griffiths, representing the Pen Ucha' and Gr-vn. Isa' quarries, Llanberis, moved "That this conference of the North Wales Quar- ¡ rymen's Union calls upon the Government to amend the Conciliation Act of 1896 by introduc- ing therein a compulsory clause which would materially reduce the danger of iserious mis- understandings between capital and labour, which have proved so disastrous to the commer- cial interests of the country." In support of his resolution. Mr Griffiths said that in its presfent optional form the -Act had proved a failure. They had an object-lesson in one quarry pro- prietor relying upon his legal rights, and defy- mer alike the Imperial Parliament in London and the local parliament of the County Council. Ovvinjg to the lack of a compulsory clause in the Act a strong foroe of military and of foreign police had been introduced into the county, en- tailing an enormous expenditure on the com- muic.'ty. But even if it compulsory clause should prove itself to be ineffective in the set- should prove itself to be ineffective in the set- I' tling of disputes, it would nevertheless be the means of doing an immense amount of good, for even the official Report of a conciliator would I have an immense moral effect. Such- a com- pulsory clause had already been found effective in some of the colonies, especially in New Zealand and Australia., and all that was required to en- I sure the amendment of the present Act was for the working men to use their votes at election times. In a sense, the mine was Crown pro- perty. and the- fountain a part of the kingdom. To leave the mine unworked when commercial interests demanded it shou'-d be worked was a wrong and an injustice to the whole community. He considered!-&hat the action of the Trades Congress in voting aigainst the introduction of a compulsory clause into the Act had proved a I great mistake (hea-r, hear). Other speakers supported the resolution. I Mr H. Cunmngton said that his hands were in a sense tied, as hi« lodge instructed its delegates to vote for the resolution as it siood. Person- ally. however, he was opposed to the principle it involved. 'He thought- the working classes it involved. He thought- the working classes should aim rather at greater direct representa- tion in the House of Commons (applause). Take the ca.se of the present- member for Mer- ionethshire. He had shown himself very little in sympathy with the working classes, and had absented himself from the House on nearly every occasion when matters affecting the inter- ests of the working classes ca.me under its notice. Mr W. H. William's, the financial t-ecr-etarv, al-o spoke in opposition to the motion. He ad- mitted that their present circumstances were favourable to its adoption, but if the circum- stances were changed he feared there would be a passibilitv that the quarrymen themselves would be the first .to regret it. The -rinciple involved in the ^solution really meant that the State should have a right to determine the rate of wages a man should earn. Were they pre- pared to endorse that princi 'l Mr D. T. Ow-c, Llanberis, moved, and Mr R. J. Williwfas, Llanrug. seconded, as an amendment, that the matter be postponed till I next year. Mr I). R. Daniel, organising secretary, being asked to express his views, said he sat on the fence last year, and was v-rtronglv inclined to do the same again this year. He admitted that the compulsory [provision Was being largely adopted i* the colonies, but the circumstances of the colony particulary in the matter of land laws, were essentiall*- different from Sliose in this country. The land laws of this country would Iiajve to be altered befo-re compukorv arbitration would be effective. J At the close of an interesting- discussion the mover of the original resolution, by consent, mover of the original resolution, by consent, withdrew his motion and pave notice of motion for next year. STRIKE PAY. An amen-dmeni was proposed, in the existing scale of strike pay, which would make it a con- dition that the recipient should have been a regular coi^-ibutor to the Union, funds month by month and of pay being made dependent upon the length of time a member had paid his monthly subscriptions. -r T' Speaking to the resolution, Mr W. H. Wil- liams, Bethesda, the financial secretary, said something of the kind was undoubtedly neces- sary to the welfare of the Union. There were hundreds of members, nominal members of the Union, who claimed to have been members for a igreat number of years, but who had never paid in any year their full subscriptions for thai year. There were on the other hand, members who had contributed regularlv month by month for the past 30 years, frequently in the face of for the past 30 years, frequently in the face of the frowns of mamy officials. The motion was by consent withdrawn, A PAID MEMBER, OF PARLIAMENT. A resolution to establish a special quarry- men's news-paper having been referred to the Executive Committee for inquiry and report, Mr Hugh Thomas, of the Glyn Isa Quarry, moved that the Union take steps to ensure the election of a paid Labour member. The Labour party in the House of Commons required to be I strengthened (hear, hear). Capital was already over-represehted. there (hear. hear). The great majority of the members of the House of Com- mons were drawn from the wealthy classes, and the working classes could not expect to ha.ve their rights conceded them until they made themselves a. greater power in the House (hear, hfcar). At the present time there was a ten- dency on the part of the Liberal party to ar- rive at some arrangement bv which it would be able to comprise within itself the Labour party. But he felt that the Latbour party should have its own independent organisation, so as to be J able to dictate terms of co-operation (hear, I hear). In order that quarrymen should have representation, they must substantially increase the membership of their Union (hear, hear). He did not consider that their representative should himself be a working-man, but he should be a paid official of the Union, and it would be an advantage to the working men if their repre- sentative in the House of Commons were able to hold his own with the brightest scholiars in the House. It might be said that the working classes already possessedi some such representa- I tives. He mentioned as examples Mr Osmond I Williams, M.P., and Mr Bryn Roberts, M.P., while Mr -Lloyd-Gaorge's warm heart—-(loud ap- plause) —. was in every sympathy with them (cheers). Mr William Jones, too. made ail ex- cellent representative. But, nevertheless, he contended that they sliould have some person whom they could regaird as their direct repre- sentative. Would it not be possible, an object- or might say, to obtain such a member without opposing any sitting member? They would not try, for instance, to oppose the popular mem- ber for Merionethshire (laughter). That would be simple madness—'(laughter),.— because the Merionethshire quarrymen were so proud of him (laughter). Now he considered the Independ- ent. Labour party had done more harm than good by securing the return of Tory members, utterly out of sympathy with labour questions, at the expense of throwing out a Liberal member, who would have .be-en, to say the least, moite closely i related to the Labour party (hear, hear). He, therefore, suggested that they, as quarrymen' should arrive at some terms of Utgreement with one of the sitting members for Carnarvonshire or Merionethshire to be their recognised repre- sentative in the House of Commons. He did 2.r^fer Mr Bryn Roberts or Mr Osmond Williams- (laughter), — the former because lie nad too much to do as a barrister—{laughter)—• and the latter because ho was too busily em- ployed as a justice of the peace (laughter). But why not retain Mr William Jones, the member tor-North Carn'arvons-hi're., as tbw paid represen- tative of the North Walos Quarrymen's Union? As a matter of fact, he (the. speaker) frequently blushed to think of the immense services Mr WilIiam Jones undertook on the-ir behalf and I the energy he put into his Parliamentary du- ties, while they never paid him a single penny. He, therefore, suggested that the Executive should approach Mr William Jones, M.P., with this ob^ct in rienr. The Chairman said it would be out of order j to mention the name of any individual member of Par-iament. in. the resolution. The resolution was amended accordingly, and seconded ,by Mr Robert Williams, Cbedmawr, Llanberis. I Mr 'Owen 'Griffith, Gerlan, suggested that the matter be deferred^ Mr Henry Cunnmgton, chairman of the Fes- t-miog Lodge, in supporting the resolution, said that the quArrynit-n had the remedy in their own lraJJds. There were 4000 quarrymen in the Fes- tiniog quarries alone. A contribution of a penny ^^eek from eaoh of these would produce over £800 a year towards a Parliamentary fund. 1 he land question underlay the Labour problem and he was profoundly impressed with the belief that they would never settle the Labour ques- that they would never settle the Labour ques- tion while they permitted the landed interest I to have so preponderating a voice. But un'ess tire quarrymen in Merionethshire and Carnar- vonshire were prepared to help themselves by putting their hands in their nockets, they could not expect others to lielp thiem. After further discussion, the matter was re- ferred to the Executive Committee for further I report to the lodges. The Chairman, commenting upon the discus- sion, taunted the quarrymen with being pre- pared to appoint a paid representative to the flous-e of Commons, while remaining content to be represented on the Parish Councils, Boards of Guardians, and other local authorities by uailoTs and blacksmiths (laughter). A man must be possessed of a top hat and a tail coat before file could be chosen as chairman of a local con- cert -(laughter). Why should they pile a] their honours upon persons outside their own class, and never honour the honest quarrvman by electing mm. Why, at Festinjoa" the 4060 quarrymen were being ruled by half a dozen shopkeepers (laughter). ELECTION OF OFFICERS. I A large number of nominations were put in ior the post of president for the vear, but after some discussion all the nominations were with dravfn except that of Mr W. Morris Jones oxmtnewydd, a retiring vice-president, who was' therefore, declared unanimouslv elected ,„&.t-le??C<}.!)fJ.vioe"1>resid^^fc' the votino- re- "nli j, 't £ :T bi [:ire" of JOMS, tShSda ° Fesl,,u<«- "d Henry Mr W. H. Williams was unanimously re-elect Mr W. H. Williams was unanimously re-elect ed financial secretary, and Mr D R. Daniel or gamsing secretary. imei or- bi^1^ <>! th€ 'ExeC'U,tive concluded the ousmess of the morning conference AFTERNOON MEETING. SPEECH BY MR W. JONES, M.P. In the afternoon, after a. procession through the town, the quarrymen thronged the great Assembly Rooms. Mr J. Jones Morris (Festdn- iog) presided, and he was supported bv Mr Wil- liam Jones M.P., Mr John Williams (miners' a°e.I1,t' kouth Wales), the President of the Union and. the principal delegates. h The Chairman, who was warmly received, said he had hesitated to accept the invitation to act as ehairman because a determined attack was being made at present on Trade Unionism and a chairman ought to have been selected better qualified to reply to this attack. It was oniv by persistent efforts -that the right to- hold such meetings had been won for them by their fore- fathers, but he fe-nr-ed there were hundreds of quarrymen in North -Wales who had never yet -realised the nature -of that privilege. They had -neglected to exercise the right of combination I realised the nature of that privilege. They had neglected to exercise the right of combination I which the Legislature gave them, and Festiniog was perhaps as much to blame in -this respect as any part of the country (hear, hear). It re- flected very badly on those who took advantage of the benefits of the Union whilst remaining outside its ranks (hear, hear). It was only by effective combination that the working classes could hope to secure legislative reforms, upon which so much of their future welfare depended I (hea&\ hear). Every up-to-date (employer of labour—(cheers)—reco-o-nis-ed the value of Trade Unionism and the facilities it afforded of dis- cussing and amicably settling disputes with their employees (applause). There was, -however. one notable exception to this .class of employer. Lord Penrhyn had' so far refused to recognise the right of the men to effective combination and to ap- point their own leaders to disuess with him the questions .at issue (applause). Mr R. J. Roberts proposed, and MT W. R. Williams seconded, the following resolutIOn: "That this meeting of North Wales quarrymen regards with anxiety the indications that the rights -and privileges of the -labouring com- munity, so. hardly won, are being seriously cur- tailed by recent decisions in the law courts, and is convinced that nothing less than a. radical re- form in the existing laws -can secure for the workingman his just rights and fair payment for his labour, and rejoices to. perceive the effort now being made to secure increased labour 1',2- present;if';on in Parliament." Mr William Jones, M.P.. who met with «, heartv reception, supported the resolution. He said that the previous Monday's debate in Parlia- ment had one indirect result) in the1 fact that of he leading men on both sides of the House felt that 4 the differences were such as ought to be prompt- ly brought to a settlement. The allegations made on behalf of the employer with regard to the old Penrhyn Quarry Committee and the ludicrous misrepresentations of the holiday question were thoroughly unworthy. The Quarry Committee was abolished as far back as 1885, and the leaders of the men absolutely re- nounced all claims to tits restoration. The de- bate further illustrated the utter impotence of the Government and the Board of Trade, and that the Conciliation Act was feeble and worth- less (applause). Under the inquiry section of that Act no report could be made and witnesses could not be examined on oath. The concilia- tion, section, again, was rendered futile becailse one side would not accept the conciliator, and although the men had persistently offered to submit the whole matter to arbitration the em- ployer would have no interference from a. third party. The suggestion that a Commission should be appointed seemed to be the most fertile, as had been shown in the anthracite coal strike in the United States. There the masters and employers for a considerable time rejected every idea of arbitration and demanded that troops should be sent into the districts. They wanted more soldiers, more guns, more bayonets, more violence. However, the climax was reached when President Roosevelt a.ked both sides to make concessions in the interests of the country, so that the disastrous industrial war might come to an end—(cheers),—and there was a historical epoch in industrial affairs created in March of this year when a settlement was concluded and favourably received by all parties concerned (cheers). A great deal had been urged in favour of compulsory arbitration, and one by one other communities were following the example of New Zealand. The colony of Victoria had adopted it after a critical examina- tion, and the Prime Minister of the Australian Commonwealth said they thought they were very much in advance of our own country in the matter of dealing with industrial conditions. By the terms of their own arbitration law great strikes were made practically impossible (cheers). Arbitration was compulsory, and since the enact- ment of this compulsion, strikes in New South- Wales were unknown. The la/bour movement in New Zealand was almost wholly Trade Unionist, but it did n#t merely concern itself with labour legislation. It had been identified generally with the progressive cause, and it steadfastly supported the progressive policy (cheers). It had helped to secure great reforms dealing with land, taxation, local government, State money lending, and old-age pensions, and, of course, that most remarkable of labour measures, the Industrial Arbitration Act, which was com- pulsory and1 was regarded by the Trade Uni'vs of New Zealand as the Magna Charta of labour (cheers). But here in Great. Britain the Trade Unions in their conference had decided by a large majority against compulsory arbitration. They were afraid of the law courts, and were suspicious of the verdicts of judges in arbitration cases. And something must be said in their favour -in face of a recent decision (cheers). The various Acts had been differently interpreted by different, judges, because the law was not clear, and the Trade Unions had consequently suffered. Nobody seemed able to have* a clear understand- ing of the law of conspiracy, for example. Mr Haldiane, M.P., had said that as the law had now been interpreted he would And the greatest possible difficulty in advising a -client not only as to the method of lawfully conducting a strike— and Mr Asquifh/bad said that that passed the wit of man—(laughter),—'but as to the method of employing those- means of concerted per- suasion and' pressure which, properly employed, had the power of preventing strikes. So -that Trade Unions in this country felt a. hardship under the law. In 1896 it was declared unlaw- ful peacefully to picket, although it had been lawful for 25 years. In 1900 it was declared lawful to make Union funds attachable, although that, had- been unlawful far thirty years. In 1902 Parliament declined to consider the position of Trad# Unions in lace of these judg- ments, and in the judgment on the Taff Vale dispute the Union was made responsible for the acts of minoT officials, and' the decision in the Denaby case seemed to be contrary to the Trade Union Act of 1871. All these cases a-bundantly proved the necessity of making the law more defined and clear, especially in regard to the questions of combination and conspiracy (cheers). For this .purpose there were two b:lls before Parliament. The object of these measures was to legalise the 'peaceful conduct of trade disputes, and to alter -the law affecting the liability of Trade Union funds. These were no mere politicai or labour matters they were im- portant social questions affecting the peace and prosperity of the country (cheers). Trade Un- ions, by organising the forces of labour, had con- ferred untold blessings on the community, and he trusted the North Wales Quarrymen's Union would grow in vstrength, unity, and intelligence, and become a helpful force to bring about the condition in which every individual member should ibave a fair chance of developing his in- born gifts (loud cheers). Mr John Williams, miners' agent, South Wales, said that if the North Wales quarrymen had been faithful to their principle in the past the Penrhyn Quarry trouble would never have occurred. Lord Penrhyn had simply tak-en ad- vantage of their weakness, of their lack of loyalty to each other (bear, hear). He felt con- fident there would be a strong .phalanx of from 60 to 70 Labour members in the next Parlia.- ment. They hoped to have ten such- in South Wales. If the workman was true to his trust, we should soon have legislation in the interests of the community. If the whole labour com- munity of the kingdom, determined to stop work altogether on the- same day the present Govern- ment would in 24 hours put on the statute-book a la.w which would make the repetition of such a moral Injustice and such act of oppression as the Penrhyn lock-out impossible (Great cheer- ing). He would not be surprised fit the next Tradie; Unions Congress resorted to such a measure, extreme though it might be considered, for -desparate evils demanded desparate remedies (loud applause). The motion was unanimously adopted. Mr Henry Cunnington then called attention to the fact that some of the religious denomina- tions in the district were taking advantage of the annual Labour-day to hold their musical festivals. This was a distinct injustice to the Quarrymen's Union, which, had secured the ob- servance of the day as a general holiday for the discussion of labour questions. He moved a resolution that a strong representation be sent to the various denominations om the matter. This was agreed to. Votes of thanks terminated the proceedings.