Parties Discuss Proposals

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31727, 10 July 1968, Page 1

Parties Discuss Proposals

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 9. The president of Federated Fanners said after a delegation from the federation spent two hours with the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) and Cabinet Ministers today that the federation’s attitude towards the suggested amendment had not changed.

“T h e discussions were full and frank, but Federated Farmers has not changed its attitude and fully supports the resolution passed at the conference this morning,” he said.

The resolution opposed the F.O.L. and Employers* Federation agreement making the rise and fall in retail prices the primary consideration to be considered by the Arbitration Court when making a general wage order. The president of Federated Farmers (Mr P. S. Plummer) Mid: “We can’t agree with the proposed amendment. The Court must take into consideration other factors.” He Mid the delegation of 12 men had proposed alternatives to the F.O.L. and Em-

ployers’ agreement, but he would not detail them. He Mid the Government advised the delegation it would consider them.

Chambers Of Commerce The Associated Chambers of Commerce today suggested abandonment of the general wage order system, and its replacement with wage increase applications made by individual unions in accordance with their individual needs and circumstances. The aMociation’s president (Mr 5. C. Scott) Mid that the general wage order system was a war-time expedient which was seldom used overseas, “for obvious reasons.” Manufacturers* Federation The New Zealand Manufacturers* Federation announced tonight that there was a split of opinion among its four district manufacturers’ associations over the proposed amendment of the Economic Stabilisation Regulations. The Canterbury Manufacturers* Association recommended that: The F.O.L. immediately withdraw its advice to unions to make individual approaches to -employers for wage increases when such are accompanied by

a threat of direct action. The Government Immediately take steps to implement a complete revision of the Economic Stabilisation Regulations as an urgent measure. Mr Skinner The longer the Government delayed acting on the request for amendments to the Economic Stabilisation Regulations the greater would become the threat and reality of industrial disturbances, said the President of the Federation of Labour (Mr T. E. Skinner) today. New regulations which would force the Court to give a wage increase on the basis of previous price increases affecting the consumer price index did not mean an automatic ending of the several big industrial disputes and stoppages. Mid Mr Skinner.