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Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13159, 4 July 1908, Page 10

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. FIIIDAY, JCLY 3. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. BILLS. Tlif ATTORNEY-GENERAL gave notice to introduce the following Bills:— Imperial Courts Procedure, Corporation Contracts, Law Practitioners A'.t I Amendment, Judiciary Statutes Int-Pi-i protation Act Amendment, and Town Boards Act Amendment. ADDRE&S-IN-REPLY. The debate on fane Address-in-R©ply I was continued by [ Mr PAUL, who said he did not agree I with, the pessimistic views regarding the present outlook, as the combined wisdom of the Dominion would find a solution of the problem, and would bring about an amicable state of affairs between employer and employed. He admitted that the Arbitration Act hid partly broken down, but it had not tailed, as had been asserted. "What was required was an amendment of Uie Act. He adversely criticised these workers who had advocated strikes. It might be an advantage to the man who got up at a street corner to advocate strikes, but such a man was no friend of labour, and only deserved condemnation from tho leaders of the workers. He asserted that the workers had been more loyal to the Act than tho employers, who in tho early stages of the Act had kicked over tho traces of the Court.

Mr LUKE, referring to tho labour question, said that- he would not be a party to a reduction of wagos in any industry; ho would prefer to close down tho industry. Wo wore able to pay higher wages in the Dominion than in older countries, only by reason of a measure of protection, but wo were getting near to the margin when wo could_ rot carry on profitably. He expressed pleasure at tho stand taken by Mr Paul and Mr Rigg against those who were clamouring for Socialism and strikes. Ho hoped that the Arbitration Art would bo kept on the Statute. Book, with amendments. The debate was adjourned, and. at 4.40 p.m. tho Council adjourned until Wednesday.