MIXED RECEPTION

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31728, 11 July 1968, Page 1

MIXED RECEPTION

(New Zealand Preet Association) WELLINGTON, July 10. Commenting on the Prime Minister’s statement the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) told Parliament the Government’s decision was “disappointing.”

Mr Kirk said: “The first feeling one has is that the Government has been through a pretty soulsearching period. “The Prime Minister’s statement attempts to bridge some pretty wide chasms in the Government’s own ranks rather than to provide a decision that would meet the wishes of those who were drawn together by the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand). “They were drawn together —properly I believe—in an attempt to try to find common ground in which the matter might be resolved This decision inside the Government ranks has led to a situation where the Minister of Labour, acting in good faith, calls the parties together, and these parties, acting completely in the interests of the country come together with a decision which serves the purpose of a compromise agreement. “It places the Minister of Labour in a most invidious position in which his colleagues have refused to accept the recommendations made.” He said he was pleased that Mr Holyoake had made the point that while some direct action had already been threatened, this had not been threatened by the Federation of Labour but rather by some individual groups. _ Mr Kirk said: “My essential point for regret about this is that a decision that I believe could and should have been made inside the Court—if it had been facilitated by a uniJfied Government —is now go-

ing to be compelled by circumstances to be an agreement to be made outside the system of arbitration and conciliation.

“I think that if the Employers’ Federation and the Federation of Labour are in agreement this is a reasonable assumption to place upon it If they had agreed to go back to the Court with some change in the regulations I think the Inference is there that if the regulations were adjusted there would be some adjustment made by the Court “If this is the attitude of the parties I think the probability is that they may come together in any event outside the Court,” he said. Mr Kirk said the Labour Party believed strongly that the system of conciliation and arbitration should be maintained and that this matter should be resolved inside the Arbitration Court. Mr Luxford The secretary of the Employers’ Federation (Mr P. J. Luxford) said it was disappointing that the Government had decided not to amend the Economic Stabilisation Regulations. “At the moment it is too early to assess the attitude the employers will take after the Government’s decision, but we are making an appraisal of the situation. “The possibility of industrial unrest exists. If this does develop, the country’s economy could receive a serious setback.

“This could benefit no-one, and if at all possible it must be averted,” he said. '

Mr Luxford said the Employers’ Federation had met the F.O.L. at the request of the Minister of Labour in an effort to find an acceptable formula to threatening industrial unrest.

The employers took the view that every endeavour had to be made to find a constitutional solution to the unrest, he said. Mr Plummer

Federated Farmers welcomed the Government’s decision, said the president (Mr P. S. Plummer )tonight. “We consider the decision is a sound one and one that we would expect from a responsible Government,” he said.