The meeting of the Maritime Conference here to-day was marked by a prolonged discussion on the resolution submitted by- the em: ployers' group, which expressed their inability to participate in the discussions of the conference "in view of the British shipowners' refusal ta Send representatives and the foch. that Norway is not represented."
Sir Atul Chatterjee (India), ehairman of the Government group, moved the closure of the debate, his resolution being carried by 38 votes to 3. After this the resolution submitted by the employers" group: was rejected by 61 votes to 24, Mr. W. Re Smith, MLP., the British Parliamentary 'Secretary to the Board of Trade, had previously made an ineffectual appeal to the Dutch delegate to withdraw the resolution. "He declared that the British Government had followed the procedure of its predecessors and that the Workers' Section had been, nominated in uecordance with Article 389 of the Peace Treaty.
Mx. Ben Tillett, the British work. ers' delegate, contended that if the Seamen's Union wus not represent fed, it was due to their own action.
After the sitting the employers: met, presided over by Mr, Cuthbert Laws of the Shipping Federation, and unanimous y decided not to participate any further in the time Conference.
'The uncompromising attitude of the employers has caused surprise, The workers' delegates are of the that the real purpose of the employers is to torpedo the Diaritime Conference because of their oppoaix tion to eight hours' work om, board The Maritime Conference is con-
Inbours, although Mr.
British employers' dete-gate has not been designated.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.