"AN APPALLING LOSS."

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 246, 15 October 1917, Page 4

"AN APPALLING LOSS."

THE AUSTRALIAN STRIKE. HOPES FOR THE FUTURE. SYDNEY, October 5. In referring in the House last night to the strike, the Acting-Premier said that though the public would undoubtedly feel greatly relieved owing to the resumption of work in a great number of collieries the position was still , full of difficulties. i " We can only now realise what a 'tremendous loss to the community the strike has been," he said. "'The return (of a section of the miners does not , mean that there can be an immediate resumption of operations in a great many industries which have been closed down owing to the strike. The influence of the Government has been used in every conceivable direction to bring about the earliest possible resumption (of work in all industries. The restorai tion of railway traffic will, of course, I be a big factor in improving conditions, and before very long we hope that the I restrictions on the use of gas and electricity for industrial purposes will be removed. Full employment for miners, of course, cannot be guaranteed until inter-State shipping is restored. By far the larger proportion of our coal production goes to other States, and within a few days the railway coal wagons will become congested unless ships are available to take the coal away. This may lead to many of the mines for ilie time being working short time. I am hoping, however, from information received, that the seamen realise the futility of holding out any longer. As soon as inter-State shipping is restored the recovery of normal conditions should be fairly rapid. DISLOCATION OF INDUSTRY. " The more I look into matters," said Mr. Fuller, " the more I am impressed with the appalling loss which the whole, of Australia has suffered through the strike. Nearly every industry of importance has been completely dislocated. Our production for the last two months has been lower than for any similar period the last quarter of a century, and great hardship and misery have been inflicted on innumerable people throughout the Commonwealth. " Many of the gentlemen who are now talking about the misery which exists were parties to this strike, and prevented its earlier settlement, in spite of all the warnings issued by the Government. From the very day that the raihvaymen came out it was apparent that every week of the strike was bound to lead to a widening circle of unemployment. The responsibility for the suffering which undoubtedly "exists in many directions must lie with those who either fomented the strike at the outset or threw every obstacle in the way of bringing it to a conclusion. This is tbe time to ask for the full co-operation of every section of the community. On all hands it is admitted that the strike was a mistake, and was in no way justified. The question is: Will we profit by this mistake? I am hopeful that we will. The Government will now at once proceed with its amendment of the Industrial Arbitration Act, and will widely increase means for conciliation in the settlement of all future disputes. The standards of wages and the industrial conditions existing before tbe strike will be maintained. Every encouragement will be given to the full organisation of workers into industrial unions, and in every way the right to collective as against individual bargaining will be re-established and maintained. The Government will not be parties in any way to a crusade against legitimate unionism, but, as was stated at the very outset of the strike, will help the "wageearners to obtain full and free investigation of their grievances by the proper tribunals. I am very hopeful that in a few <lays any bad feeling which lias arisen owing to the strike will cease, and that there will be co-operation by all sections of the people in re-establish-ing the industries and commercial operations of the state. APPEAL TO COAL MIXERS. '• I particularly appeal to the coal miners to fall in with the Government's proposals to establish a complete conciliation scheme in each mining district, as was outlined in the Government's terms. Provision will bo made for the appointment of pit committees, district committer's, and a gen cral Arbitration Court covering the whole industry. If the miners will fall in with this scheme and will use the machinery provided, there need be none of the stoppages of work over petty matters which have occurred during recent years, and all big matters of importance to the industry as a whole can always be immediately inquired into by a special coal Industrial Court. Similar conciliation committees will be provided for in all possible industries, and no workman will be able to say in the future that he has not the fullest opportunity for an immediate investigation of any legitimate industrial grievances. WHAT THE FCTURE HOLDS. " Financial pressure is going to seriously affect this State as well as the rest of Australia. Everything in the future depends on keeping the industries going, without these perpetual stoppages of work. If the unions concerned can be persuaded to adopt the scheme which will make shipbuilding possible in the Commonwealth, and if we can begin the erection of wheat silos in the different country centres, there need be no fear of unemployment as soon as we got over the immediate effects of the strike. In many other directions there are possibilities of establishing new industries, but our success in this direction will also depend upon a more reasonable attitude being exhibited by trade unionists." SELECTING WHARF MEN. One of the most important developments of the strike has been the introduction of a fundamental change in the system of the employment of men to work on the wharves." So far as it has j been possible to examine the new scheme of constant work for chosen wharf labourers, the whole tendency of the new idea seems to be for the substantial betterment of the conditions of those men who may be chosen for permanent employment out of the labour offering. In an interview with the representatives of the various shipping companies yesterday, it was learned that some concern has been expressed at the apparent suspicions of a number of the old, practised wharf labourers with regard to the scheme. In this matter, all the shipping companies — coastal, inter-State and oversea—are solidly combined. This combination, it is frankly admitted, is primarily for the purpose of ensuring a regular supply of efficient labour for the ordinary needs of the shipping industry in Port Jackson, thus leaving only the additional work entailed when a rush •occurs (which is not infrequent) to depend on casual labour, such as lias [ been the system in vogue for many years.

"uc the shipowners are emphatic in the opinion that such a combination cannot be otherwise than beneficial for all the men who really desire to have regular work at stated wages for a certain definite number of hours each week, month in and month out, and regardless of the weather and other factors which had so much to do with reducing the average earnings of the casual wharf labourer under the old system. That a very large number of men appreciate this point of view is apparent. they say, because of the fact that nearly 2,000 have registered their names for work under the new conditions. The process of selecting upwards of 1.000 of these is now going on, and it is in connection with this process that the shipowners desire to refer again to the suspicions of the men. "We frankly admit that we are exercising a good deal of discrimination in the employment of our constant wharf hands. There are, to begin with, a large number of loyalist' workers who have helped the shipping industry through the crisis, and with very few exceptions, these men have given every satisfaction. If they desire to remain in the industry, we shall certainly keep them. Then, again, there are a number of men who have registered their names who are obviously unfit for wharf labouring work. It is only by a careful system lof selecting that we can hope to build up an adequate staff of efficient wharf workers, and it is upon the success of that effort, we submit, that the whole future of the shipping industry of Port Jackson rests." Another point emphasised was that no embargo had been placed on any man because of his membership of any union organisation. "Every man who has registered," 6aid one of the managers, '"has given us particulars of his union and of his last employment. We are openly using this information to satisfy ourselves about the applicants' bona fides. All we want is a body of men with a reasonably clean record and a physical fitness for the work on the wharves. We certainly do not want, and will not have, if we can possibly escape it, men who are imbued with the sabotage doctrine of the I.W.W. We realise—and recent events support our conviction —that there is probably no industry in which the danger of employing such men is more apparent to-day." £20,000 FOR RELIEF. The Acting-Premier made an announcement that the Government had decided to vote the sum of £20,000 for the relief of the distress at present existing in New South Wales. Mr. Fuller said that the Government felt alive to the fact, in consequence to a large extent of the unfortunate causes which had prevailed in this State during the last few- weeks, that a large amount of distress existed in the city and suburbs and other parts of tbe country. The Government was hopeful that before very long industrial conditions would get back to normal, but unfortunately a great deal of distress did now exist, and the Government had that day. in accordance with the course it had pursued right through in showing no malice and realising the position, decided to set apart as a first instalment for the relief of the distress the sum of £20,000. (Opposition hear, hears.) If. unfortunately, added Mr. Fuller, there should be any further necessity, in consequence of industry not getting back to normal conditions as rapidly as they hoped, the Government would see that a sufficient sum was set apart so that women and children would suffer as little as possible. '