A. —7.

1939. NEW ZEALAND.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE, GENEVA, 1938. REPORT OF NEW ZEALAND DELEGATION.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Leave.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE, TWENTY-FOURTH SESSION, GENEVA, 2nd TO 22nd JUNE, 1938.

The Hon. the Minister of Labour, — We have the honour to transmit herewith report on the proceedings of the twenty-fourth session of the International Labour Conference, held at Geneva from 2nd to 22nd June, 1938. There is also appended the report of the New Zealand workers' delegate and the New Zealand employers' delegate. James Thorn. Henry E. Moston.

REPORT.

The New Zealand delegation was as follows:— Mr. James Thorn, M.P. for Thames. Mr. 11. E. Moston, C.8.E., Assistant Secretary of Labour, and Chief Inspector of Factories. Mr. G. G. Camp, Assistant Secretary of the New Zealand Employers' Federation. Mr. A. Cook, Secretary of the New Zealand Workers' Industrial Union of Workers. The Conference met at 11 a.m. on Thursday, 2nd June, 1938, in the Conference Hall of the League of Nations, Geneva, and adjourned sine die at 1.40 p.m. on Wednesday, 22nd June. There were eighteen plenary sittings of the Conference. This year the Conference had the advantage of meeting in the Palace of the League of Nations, and the amenities provided added greatly to the comfort and smooth working of the Conference. Before proceeding with our report of the Conference proceedings we would like to state our impressions, to give some observations on the work of the International Labour Organization, and to illustrate the value and influence that it can have on a country like New Zealand. It lias been said that the work of the Organization is largely futile and that New Zealand cannot exercise any great influence in achieving the objects of the Organization. The fact is, as recent developments have shown, that problems, whether they be finance or any of the complications of the economic or industrial system, are not merely the concern of any one particular country. For instance, if the workers of any one country have a low standard of life, with long hours of work and few social amenities, they may undersell in the world's markets to the disadvantage of workers in other countries where a higher standard of industrial conditions is observed. It was therefore gratifying to hear delegates from the various countries, including many of the backward countries, give details of the progress in social and industrial improvements, largely through the influence of the International Labour Organization. These are referred to later in this lepoit. The speeches of the delegates disclosed a remarkable development of social services in some countries within the past four or five years.

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