Page 838 that such instruments are more likely to attract widespread ratification and implementation than texts which are forced through on a vote against a substantial measure of opposition. Although at the recent session of the Conference some votes were cast against some of the instruments adopted, in general a spirit of harmony persisted throughout the discussions. The desire to arrive at a common understanding was never more evident, and this fact represents a real hope for the future co-operation of all groups in the Organisation.

7. In the final analysis, however, the achievements of the 32nd session of the International Labour Conference are to be measured not only by the Conventions, Recommendations and Resolutions which it adopted, but by something equally important even if less tangible. During these short weeks at Geneva men and women from fifty different States, representing not only Governments, but managements and workers as well, learned to know each other, learned to get on together and strove together to achieve, and did achieve, a common understanding on a number of important, difficult and controversial topics. It is through this kind of association that the greatest contribution can be made to peace, to social progress, to the happi- ness and prosperity of mankind, above all to the freedom of the individual. We believe that this session of the International Labour Conference made such a contribution.

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AGENDA

8. The items on the Agenda of the Session were:

I. Report of the Director-General.

II. Financial and budgetary questions.

III. Reports on the application of Conventions.

IV. Application of the principles of the right to organise and to bargain

collectively (second discussion).

V. Industrial relations, comprising collective agreements, conciliation and arbitration, and co-operation between public authorities and employers' and workers' organisations (first discussion).

VI. Labour clauses in public contracts (second discussion).

VII. Protection of wages (second discussion).

VIII. Wages: General report.

IX. Vocational guidance (second discussion).

X. Revision of the Fee-Charging Employment Agencies Convention,

1933.

XI. Migration for employment: Revision of the Migration for Employ- ment Convention, 1939, the Migration for Employment Recom- mendation, 1939, and the Migration for Employment (Co-operation between States) Recommendation, 1939.

XII. Partial Revision of the Social Security (Seafarers) Convention, 1946 (No. 70), the Paid Vacations (Seafarers) Convention, 1946 (No. 72), the Accommodation of Crews Convention, 1946 (No. 75), and the Wages, Hours of Work and Manning (Sea) Convention, 1946 (No. 76), in respect of the questions specified :

66681

Social Security (Seafarers) Convention, 1946 No. 70), in Pagfespect of the amount and duratiogopanowances Article 3,

paragraph 2);

A 3

6

Page3aafadations (Seafardagstiof, 107(No. 72), in

respect of-

(a) continuous service (Article 3, paragraph 1);

(b) subsistence allowances (Article 5, paragraph 2); (3) Accommodation of Crews Convention, 1946 (No. 75), in respect of-

(a) variation of the provisions of the Convention con- cerning experimental ships (Article 1);

(b) ventilation of crew quarters (Article 7, paragraph 3); (c) the maximum number of ratings in sleeping rooms (Article 10, paragraph 10);

(d) the arrangement of berths in tiers (Article 10, para- graph 14);

(e) the application of the Convention to existing ships (Article 18);

(4) Wages, Hours of Work and Manning (Sea) Convention, 1946 (No. 76), in respect of—

(a) consistent working of overtime (Article 18, para- graph 1);

(b) the period for denunciation of the Convention (Article 27);

(5) Substitution, for the standard articles of the existing Conventions, of standard articles corresponding to those to be included in the other Conventions at the 32nd Session of the Conference.

9. Certain other matters were also before the Conference. The Governing Body of the International Labour Office addressed proposals to the Confer- ence on the subject of technical assistance for economic development. A number of Resolutions were presented for consideration by the Conference. The Conference, on the proposal of the Governing Body, was also asked to consider a number of amendments to its Standing Orders.

10. The Minister of Labour and National Service of the United Kingdom addressed the Conference during the discussion of the Director-General's Report. Ministers from other countries who addressed the Conference and/or formed part of their national delegations were: Mr. Jose Maria Freire, Minister of Labour and Welfare, Argentine Republic; Mr. Leon-Eli Troclet, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, and Mr. Henri Heyman, Minister of State, Belgium; Mr. Zdravko Mitovsky, Minister of Labour and Social Assistance, Bulgaria; Mr. Evzen Erban, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Czechoslovakia ; Mr. Johan Strom, Minister of Social Affairs, Den- mark; Mr. Aleksi Aaltonen, Minister of Social Affairs, Finland; Mr. Paul Ramadier, Minister of National Defence, and Mr. Daniel Mayer, Minister of Labour and Social Security, France; Mr. Stefan Johann Stefansson, Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs, Iceland; from India, Mr. O. K. Das, Minister of Labour, Assam, Mr. P. S. Azad, Minister of Labour, East Punjab, Mr. K. T. Bhashyam, Minister of Labour, Mysore; Mr. Daniel Morrissey, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Republic of Ireland; Mr. Pierre Dupong, Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, LuxembBarge 3.9A06 Macus Joekes, Hagester 309 dcihDAffairs, Nether- lands; Miss Aasland, Minister of Social Affairs, Norway; and Mr. A. M. Malik, Minister of Labour and Agriculture, Government of East Bengal, Pakistan.

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