EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXI, Issue 8446, 14 August 1911, Page 2

EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION.

Annual Report.

The annual meeting of the Canterbury Employers' Association will be held on Thursday evening next, when in addition to the ordinary formal business, addresses will be .delivered byMr H. D. Acland and Mr J. B. Laurenson. The annual report statesthat the membership of the Association shows a slight increase on the previous year, but many employers have not yet identified themselves^ with the Association. It was anticipated that some little respite might have been afforded employers last session instead of which several Bills were added to the statutes. Strong representations were made by the Federation against some of the clauses in the several Bills with the result that many modifications were made. A more vigorous protest supported by the entire strength of the Federation should be made against the too frequent tendency of the Government to postpone the consideration of important industrial legislation until the closing days of the Parliamentary session. Many of the' Bills submitted were theoretical and one-sided, and members of Parliament were not given sufficient opportunities to grasp the i complex problems, and consequently most important and far-reaching legislation was forced through the Houses of Parliament in a manner probably without parallel in the world. Members of the Employers' Federation should not rely upon the Labour' Department for the interpretation of Labour Acts. Interpretation was simply a question of law, and the Federation \yas in a position to obtain the best legal advice on bo' rlf of its members. During the past year ono test cast was made, with the result that the interpretation, as given by the Labour Department, was held to be incorrect. The operation of the Shops and Offices Act now overrode the awards wherever they clashed., It disclosed a very unsatisfactory state of affairs, for example, in cases where the award gives more hours than the Act, the Act had to be observed, and where, the award gives more holidays than the Act the award had to be _observed. Laws made on such lines could scarcely impress an' outsider as being, the deliberate' judgment of men actuated solely by a desire to deal justly by all classes of the community. The'employment of young people was becoming one of the most vital questions, demanding consideration by all classes who were in any way interested in the welfare' and progress of ih'e Dominion. The restrictions imposed during the past 15 years with regard to employment of the young people in the Dominion were now being severely felt, and unless something was done quickly in the direction of greater freedom in employing or being enroloyed our national progress would be seriously retarded.