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THE INTER- NATIONAL

LABOUR CON- FERENCE

NINTH SESSION.

(Previous

Reference: Cabinet 41 (28), Con- clusion 12.)

7. The Cabinet had before them a Memorandum by the Minister of Labour (Paper C.P.-246 (28))

containing proposals drawn up in consultation with the Board of Trade as to the action to be taken

by the Government in regard to the Draft Conventions

and Recommendations adopted by the International Labour Conference which was held at Geneva in

of the

June, 1926. The proposals of the Minister of Labour are summarised in the Minute previous Meeting of the Cabinet referred to in the margin.

The question had been adjourned at the previous Meeting of the Cabinet in order that the President of the Board of Trade and the Minister of Labour might consider, in the light of previous experience, suggestions made during the Meeting in regard to the Draft Convention concerning Seamen's Articles of Agreement, viz as to whether the more convenient course might not be to depart from our usual custom and to ratify subject to a reserva- tion on Article 5, or, alternatively, that we should enact the necessary legislation to carry out the Convention, omitting the point covered by Article 5 of the Convention, and then notify the International Labour Office of the course adopted.

The Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Labour informed the Cabinet that the question had been carefully considered in his Department and the conclusion had been reached that to break through the principle hitherto adhered to of not ratifying any Treaty with a reservation would be a very unfortunate course.

Other nations would

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-9.

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