An Industrial Conference.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16881, 8 July 1920, Page 6

An Industrial Conference.

in tho courso of his speech in the House of Representatives last night Mr 3>. G. Sullivan declared that the Labour Party was' the only body to make any suggestion to secure industrial peace in this country. This is not a fact, but it is unfortunately true that it is a claim that can be made with some colour ox reason. Tho Federation of Labour proposed, about eighteen months ago, that the Government should call an industrial conference, and although Sir James Allen approved the suggestion, it was thought that the roturn oKthe Prime Minister should be awaited. Nothing has been done, and the other day the Employers' Federation, meeting at Wellington, declared definitely and emphatically against the holding of such a conference, on the sole ground—at any rate it is the only ground that has been stated —that the I Labour Party is controlled by mon

, avowedly bent upon tho destruction of i the existing industrial organisation of | tho country. From tho beginning we have supported the proposal of the . Federation of Labour, and we do not * know of any newspaper of any conseI quence which docs not agree with our : often expressed opinions upon the subject. The position now is this: That the Federation of Labour has made no comment whatever upon the decision of tho Employers' Federation, and is free to turn to the use 6 of extremist Labour policy tho claim that the employers have banged the door against a reasonable "and pacific proposition. We still hold that a conference should bo held, and wo are glad to see that the efforts of the Press are being supplemented by ! n general agitation. In Dunedin on ' Monday evening a public meeting was j addressed by Mr A. P. Harper, of tho ' Welfare League, and unanimously supported the idea of a conference. Mr Harper stated no more than the fact when he said that "tho public,, as "represented by the Press and public . "bodies, desired the Government to.call i " the conference, and the two parties jwho were fighting.were standing off." ■ In other countries, as he pointed out, sincere efforts were boing made to find some basis for the continuance of in-

' dustry in conditions more favourable to the ultimate good of the community than exist at present- The matter is one in which, neither the organised employers nor the organised workers can i iegard as one upon which they are free to act as they please. They must regard their as subordinate to : the interests of the nation. Y» T e are hopeful that the conference may yet be ! arranged, and it arranged if ; men of goodwill will assist the agitai tion in its behalf.

The fact to which a .correspondent calls attention, that the arrival of Orient and P. and 0. liners at the first port of call in Australia is not cabled to Xew Zealand as in pre-war times, is not necessarily due to indifference on tho part of the shipping companies or of the agent in Sydney of the Xew Zealand Press Association, through whom such news used to come. It is most probably the result of the survival, long after they havo ceased to serve any \ise-f-,il purpose, of the war regulations in Australia, oi' in Xew Zealand, or in both countries. Thiring the war it was obviously inadvisable to publish anything that would give the enemy a clue to tho movements of British shipping, and the injunctions of the censor against tho publication of all intelligence regarding foreign-going ships were strictly obeyed. But clearly there is no possible reason for the retention of this restriction, in even modified form, to-dav. Our recent remarks on tho stupidity of maintaining war censorship over posted matter, and the growing feeling of irritation in Australia at Mr Hughes's fondness-for retaining other war regulations in active use, may perhaps induce the respective Governments to look at the matter in the light of common sense.

} The Melbourne "Argus's" plebiscite - on tho twelve best roses, the result of ; which we give in this issue, was' made ( tho occasion by Mr Alister Clark, a noted Victorian amateur rosarian, for some remarks, on the re-naming by a 1 number of rose-growers of one of tno most beautiful roses,, Frau Karl Druschki. This in many lists appeared as Snow Queen, ' a name which appears to have been bestowed upon it by some English and Australian 'nursery-garden-ers during tho war, out of deference to the prejudices that &ight be entertained by some customers against a rose with such a very German name. Whilst we condemned Germany for hor acts of aggression, said Mr Clark, a senso of justice and tho e true sporting spirit should not allow us to change the name or withhold due credit for one of the most beautiful productions, especially as tho German names of manv other roses we considered of lesser m£rit were allowed to stand. No such rose as "Snow Queen" i s recognised by the official horticultural bodies of England and Australia. The typo of mind that is shocked at the* idea of growing a rose with, a German name is of the same class as that which cannot endure hear- i ing German music played or sung, and is equally stupid. There are few matters that affect the trado and industry of tho city and district more .closely than the congestion °f goods traffic at Lyttelton and the delay m handling goods both there and at Christchurch. Some ten days ago the Chamber of Commerce set up n committee to investigate these questions, and it has convened a meeting ot various organisations for this afternoon to hear a report by the committee which has been working with the most laudable enthusiasm and industiy. Ihe crux of the pressing problem which has to be dealt with before goods traffic to and from Lyttelton is put on a satisfactory footing will, we believe, I be found to lie in inadequate shed ac- | commodation at Christchurch, coupled, of course, with tho shortage of trucks. Un these matters, and a number of others, the committee should be-ablo to throw much useful light, and it is to be hoped that all thoso concerned will make it their business to attend the •meeting.

•— eMr Mitchell, M.P. for Wellington south. declared yesterday that he cannot take any interest in the division on Mr Mac Donald's no-confidence motion, and most people will feel inclined to approve his reasons' for adopting this attitude. The contest—so far as the dreary debate is a contest at all—appears to this member as simplv a party conflict of the old kind. This is undoubtedly true. The Reform Party cannot be blamed for defending itself; the responsibility for the fruitless debate rests with the Liberals, and it becomes daily moro difficult to understand what Mr Mac Donald hoped to achieve by. moving his amendment. The debate is a waste of time, and will involve a vast waste of paper, oven if the Hon. G. J. Anderson does contrive to cut down by more than half the circulation of "Hansard." It has yielded nothing whatever of value —unless tliera is a value in the public exposition of the uselessness of some of the members and the sooner it ends the better.

One feature of the. debate which we note with" regret, is the absence of any concerted effort by the Canterbury members to deal vigorously and plainly with the developmental needs of this province, and tho necessity for public works reform. This was surely a chance for them. The public expects a good deal of them this session, and they cannot afford to miss any chances, since the representatives of other areas of tile Dominion, taking a leaf from Canterbury's book, are beginning to unite. On Tuesday there was a gathering of members of Parliament representing districts from Gisborno and Now Plymouth south to Wellington and across the Strait to Nelson and Marlborough. The "Dominion," in welcoming this gathering, indicated, if we understand it aright, thai theso members will fix a programme, and press unitedly for its adoption. That will be a formidable force for Canterbury to contend with.