EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18138, 30 July 1924, Page 7

EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING IN SOUTH CANTERBURY. (special to "the pmss.") TIMARU, July 29. At the annuiaL meeting of the South Canterbury Employers' Association, held to-night, Mr R. D. Halstead presided over a good attendance. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The new. executive was elected ~, as follows: —Messrs J. Scott, C. W. Wood, E. Blackmore, W. E. Evans, it. D. Halstead, J. Morison, J. F. Butler, J. Drinnan, R. Shillito, G. Hadlee, M. J. Doyle, C. E. Curtis, F. C. May, H. Marriott, H. 11. Harris, T Seaton, W. ,G. Irwin, R. B. Bell, E. Porter, W. H. Foden, and T. It. Mackay. Mr J. Henderson spoke on the question of the half-holiday, and urged' a return to the mid-weeK arrangement. The farming community lookea on tiie change to Saturday as a slap m tiie tace. fie thought they should approach the Government to get omy ratepayers to vote on the question. The Association should take tne matter up. The chairman said that 'Mr Henderson's! remarks would b© noted by the incoming executive. A lengthy discussion followed. Some members considered the discussion merely "flogging a dearl horse." Others thought they should go ahead and do something in the matter. The Saturday half-holiday, said Mr J. Henderson, led to desecration of the Sabbath. The subject was then dropped.

Annual Report. The annual report stated, inter alia, that the Association was in a healthy position financially. The work of the Conciliation Council and the Arbitration Court in South Canterbury for the year had been exceedingly small, although several cases were taken in Christchurch in which members were interested, and it was pleasinpr to note that they had all been dealt with satisfactorily. Several general meetings had been held during the year for the consideration of industrial matters, but the attendance of members generally had been very disappointing. The membership was fairly satisfactory, but in the interests of employers' unity, and their own individual interests, the| were strongly urged to join the Association. The work of the Employers' Federation at the head office was becoming very heavy, and had necessitated. the appointment of an additional member to the staff. They were pleasol to note that the secretary of the Federation (Mr T. O. Brahop'K- the assistant secretary {Mr B. I». Hamilton), and the new assistant (Mr C. Canin) were indefatigable in their efforts for the benefit of employers generally.

Compulsory Arbitration. Mr B. L. Hammond, assistant secretary of. the New Zealand Employers' Federation, in addressing lie meeting, dealt with the compulsory arbitration system-and industrial affairs generally. Speaking of the Arbitration Court, he said that there was some room for criticism, but nevertheless much of the criticism levelled at the system by employers and workers alike was based on a misconception of the position. At the time of its inception otiect

[ was to remedy a condition of affairs •which allowed of "sweating" on the one hand and militant trades unionism on the other. : It was successful in killing both these evils. By a gradual (deveiopmjent of its fiachmery frpm time to time it became what it is today, the simplest, sanest and safest method 'of • regulating' industrial. conditions in operation in any part of the world. . In : New Zealand. the Arbitral 'tion Court acted as a brake ori wage movements. It steadied wages on both the up-grade and the down-grado with the result that wages did not reach the extraordinarily high peak or later to fall to an abnormally low level, as had been the ease in some other countries. Many of the obnoxious clauses appearing in awards were clauses first conceded by employers themselves in the Conciliation Council and subsequently renewed by the Court. That position would continue until employers, appearing in Conciliartion Councils realised that when acting as assessors they were doing bo in the interests of industry jw a whole and not merely their own individual interests.; ... The speaker's "personal, opinion was that one of the chief defects in the system was ' the method Of• trieflnially; electing, the lay members, of the. Court. The most frequently repeated suggestion was that the permanent lay members should bo replaced by a different pair of assessors for : "each dispute and chosen from, the trade or industry under review. That sounded all right in theory but in practice it was quite unworkable. Another unfortunate circumstance in connexion with the svstem was that tho Department's administration left much to be desired. The same respect for awards of the Court was not enacted from all parties alike. It was considered by. employers, and unfortunately'not without cause, that whilst little or no mercy was shown to employers who were delinquents.'in the matter of observing awards, considerable leniency was often shown to those on the other side and more often than not to those in parttcular wTio were least to it. Politics were entering largely into the industrial lifo of the Dominion unfortunately and employers had more to fear on that account in the future than in the past. Emolovers were inclined to play "ostriches" with the position, but if that attitude continued they would have no one but themselves to blame for any further handicaps placed upon them in thf conduct of their business. Mr Hammond then went on to deal with matters concerning employers' interests generally," and at the conclusion of his address was accorded a hearty .vote of thanks.