THE LABOUR PROBLEM.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 149, 24 June 1908, Page 8

THE LABOUR PROBLEM.

(To the Editor.) . Sir, —Having for a number 6£ years taken an interest in questions relating to capital and labour, I read with interest the report in Monday evening's "Star" of Dr. Findlay's recent speech, and also your criticism of same in your leader, and r would c-ommend the perusal of same to one and' all interested in these great questions. That there must be some advance upon the present wage system is self-evident, and I believe that so long as we have regulations governing our industrial ■world some such scheme as advanced by the Attorney-General must he put on trial. We can never expect to make any marked progress in our industries unless we are prepared to give some greater incentive to our employees than the bare living wage. The time is not ripe, at least in this -country, for productive co-opera-tion, and, as pointed out by Dr. Findr lay, the system known as profit-sharing has not met with unqualified success.

Mankind must rise to a higher state and become more altruistic than at present before productive co-operation can succeed. So, whilst realising that the industrial world is not yet ripe for cooperation, also that the present conditions are unsatisfactory, we must hail with pleasure any system that will be an advance upon our present methods. I know at least of one manufacturing concern where the proposals of the Attor-ney-General have been applied. An attempt has been made to go beyond the weekly wage. Over and above a certain amount of work done a percentage has been paid. So far,.the system has proved itself to be satisfactory to both employer and employee.

The aim of an employer should not bs to pay as little as possible to his employee, but at giving the highest remuneration commensurate with the exigencies of his business. What incentive has a man to put forth his best efforts, when he knows whether he works diligently or not, the result will be the same?

Employers should realise that by paying a man a low wage, when that man , is capable of earning a higher one, there is much wealth lost to himself as an in , dividual, and to the community at large. . We do not want men to-work like nia- , chines. The best results can never be obi tamed by these methods. But we do want men to think, and to put their . thoughts and consciences into their work. i It is along these lines only that we can [ become pre-eminent in the industrial i world. So, employers of labour, instead of de- ! nouncmg such proposals of the Attorney- . General as impracticable and -visionary, should give them their serious consid- . eration, and thereby help towards a solution of tho knotty problem involved in these "labour problems."—l am. etc., AN EMPLOYER. (To the Editor.) Sir, —As a workman of this Dominion, I would like to express my opinion of Dr. Findlay's speech on the necessity for am incentive to work. How does Dr. Findlay expect employer and employee to agree to any computed time a certain piece of work should take, when on his own showing previous mutual agreements have broken down? Dr. Findlay cites cases from the Old Country, where reduction in wage for workers obtains, as against increase here. Amy practical worker must know how a fewcircumstanccs, nothing in themselves, make a great deal of difference in the finishing of work—another thing to be considered, where three or four branches of trade are concerned. The facility with which each succeeding tradesman can carry out his particular portion depends very much upon the way his predecessors have carried out their portion. Now, if they worked ____ u <__ an exertion wage, there would he a tendency to slum work—_»ive it the "go by." In the case of a house being built, any tyro would distinguish one built under exertion wage from the one built in the ordinary way. I hold the belief that an efficient workman has the benefit now over his incompetent fellow worker, as he is invariably kept on when the others are not required. A middle-aged man would suffer reduction in his earnings, when iin all probability 1 his responsibilities are greatest. I have seen this exertion wage business. It is a sort of justification of mediocrity. The lower branches of most trades require a little knowledge and a lot of brute strength and endurance. Along comes the man with these qualities, amd he does this part of the business, calling himself a fitter, carpenter, or whatever it may be. Let the various trades unions admit only competent men. These men being of a higher order, would be far more likely to work hand in hand with employers, and to hold fast to any mutual agreement made. Dr. Findlay ; seems to thimk that human ability can be measured like the matutinal milk.— I am, etc., PLUMB 808.