MEND OR END.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 208, 27 May 1908, Page 3

MEND OR END.

ARBITRATION ACT ASSAILED. ATTITUDE OF FARMERS' UNION. (dT TELEGRArH.— SFECIA.Ii CORRESPONDENT.) Feilding, May 26. .. . ? conference of the Wellington Pro vincial District of the Farmers' Union hen made a broadside attack unon ■ the 'Arbitra tion Act, which has been extended for the first time to their industry since last -year': conference. , . . Mr. F. Hocldey, Huntervillo, moved that 111 vjew ?f the failure of the Conciliation anc Arbitration Acts to prevent strikes, and th< unfair and weak manner in which the Act: are administered, it would be in the best in tercsts of everybody concerned if these Acti wore .repealed. In a< powerful-speech, -h< pointed out that tho tendency of the workim of the Act. was to increase ■ wages and th< cost,of production. The farmers were not ii the position of other employers in the colony They could not raise prices to the consumer! to balance greater 'cost of production, becausi their, prices were, bound by. the market price: abroad. The buyers in the markets of thi world were not . concerned in. the cost of pro duction. , In the second place,, the adinmis tration of the/Act had been a failure.' Em ployers had been penalised and. strikers ex onerated. Farmers and their men had hither to agree amicably, and the Act was quit* unnecessary. ; He would, however, agree tc Wages Boards to fix simply the wages.. Mr. A. M'Gregor, Himterville, . sccondec the.;motion', and said the Act was- a farce and should be repealed. . . : . ; . Mr. J.; Saxon, Levin, said that if the present Government was -not aWe to carry oui tlie Act it was time it was ipiped-out.: Mr. S. J. Carman also agreed that it was time it was wiped out. The Chairman, <Mr. J. G. Wilson :Do yoi mean the Government or the Bill ? ■ (Laughter.) t ■ , Mr. Carqtan:,';l'mean.the 8i11..' .The Chairman:. Because if you mean the Government, .that is' not on the order-paper. Mr. Carman: Well, I am glad the daj of election is at hand, when they may gei wiped out, too. (Applause.) - Mr.;'T.' W. ..Venn, Shannon, said ho die not believe there were a,dozen employers ii; the country who would not willingly support this , motion. /The only way to get gootf labour laws was to. wipe out tho--. present Aci and start again. " . '.' Mr. W. J. Moore, Makuri, moved that the words"or be amended" should be added. Mr. J. Jackson, Featherstoii, said it was obvious from the very' beginning that the Act would only succeed just so long as the decisions'favoured the men.' Mr. W. J. Falconer, Waituna, . made a reference to the Australian agitators in, this country, -and declared that it ..would be a good thing if somebody could charter an old vessel, tako them out to Cook Straits,-and drown the lot. ' , . Mr. E, H.' Crabb, Kimbolton, said it would be: disastrous if" it wont forth that the Union was. opposed to the labour legislation. ; If they, asked for the repeal of , the Conciliation Act, it "would ,be. going'right in ! the face of public, opinion, which would' instantly demand new legjslation to' take.its: placo. . He favoured Wages Boards. : ; Captain Howitt said the Conciliation Act had : been prostituted, y .. ." ; ,Mr."E. E, Fletcher, Wanganui, while really approving tho J total repeal of the Act, certainly supported- its amendment. " Mr. Balsillie, Palmerston,' said a uniform wage was impracticable. Men, like animals, were good.andbad.- He.liad ploughmen who were cheap at 255. a week, .and others who were.well paid at .a poun'd. ( : . .. " ..'Mr. I ,' J.' sSiiJ'r.tbtit ivhile * all could support'the amendment,.' few Bmployers would, joiii in demanding the total repeal.',' |. Mr. -G. . E/ Wheeler, Feilding, said'■-'farm labourers could, absolutely paralyse the - industry.,,- The men apparently could go 6ut on strike, arid .the Government appeared helpless to prevent them. Mr. Hockley said repeal' was asked ■ for rather than amendment, because it was\folt that no confidence could be placed in any Act in spite of amendment. . ; .The words "or-, amendment " were added jn a vote, and with this addition the motion ivas carried. ' ? V.,