"BREAKING THE LAW"

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 238, 1 July 1908, Page 7

"BREAKING THE LAW"

MR. MILLAR SPEAKS OUT. HIS WARNING TO THE WORKERS. THE ACT IMPERILLED. "I've got Information enough to say that the members of the House of Representatives would repeal the Conciliation and Arbitration Act if ft cams down tomorrow. I must have the support of tho workers to hold it. If I don't get it, I can't hold It, and I want to hold It."— The Minister for Labour. ; A q-uiot, unostentatious little, function ap ranged-as a compliment -to'the.. .Hon. John Rigg, M.L.C., at the Commercial Travellers' Club last evening, proved the unsuspected medium of a deliverance of cloctric force from the Minister-for Labour (th< Hon. J. A. Millar) on the ailing Arbitrator Act.' • ;. :- ■' , IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE THEM. . " Talking about Parliament,", said Mr. Millar, "it mil have to deal with the most troublous question that this country has tc face, a question, that does not only apply to New. Zealand—perhaps 1 it is less felt hero than anywhere else—and . that is the -relations of labour and capital, the masters aiid'the men,'and. a harder question to solve Ido not know of. . Myself and '.my friend, Jack Bigg, have spent the, best part of our lives, dealing .with questions affecting labour,and we're both honestly! and strenuously ,to do our best to do what is. right. (Applause.) What is my duty as Minister for Labour? Is it not my'duty-'to inquire mto the. requirements and aspirations of .labour? I want to do it and have tried to do it; but no matter what I 'do there is a certain section of the Labour party prepared to oppose hie —ready to oppose me, no matter what I do. I have met them and talked things ,1 over, -and, Have agreed to do somo things they actually' proposed, and.'then they have disagreed wijh what I have dono. Mr. Reardon, "Mr, Carey, and Mr.. Paul are present, and they know, it is so. Only?thrco days ago a proposal was made to mo to amend the Arbitration Act in a certain direction,' 'and. now I understand they want it left as it- is. It- doesn't matter what I may do, what I suggest-for. tho benefit of the common cause of labour, it is always the same. . , .......

. A FAIR CONTRACT. ■. "What Ido say is tliat whatever is done i we]drat, hare a-fair contract., I believe, the Govornment is prepared to do what; is fair ■■: and honest for labour,, but it must'be'thatV... which is fair and just to every, section of the community. I ask tho. workers to give it (the Arbitration Act) a fair trial,- and then if 'it'is not : satisfactory repeal'itJ .'' ;', "I was on the Sweating Commission up till : 1890, and always held that, strikes were .the worst thing out for. the community—it's the worker .that suffers, most' every time, and I outlined the formation of ■an Arbitration Court,' liot exactly as it is now constituted. I advocated three judges of. the- Supreme Court-. , I was'the secretary'ofc the strike of 1890, though I advised HhemTnot ,to "strike. But I had taken their money in times of peace, and I would have been lower than ,a dog if ,1 had not gone but,,.witli them. j(A voice: failed;") YiS,. I,failed; but that failure was tho grandest thing for the ' ' democracy of New Zealand.- (Applause.) ■ WHAT REPEAL MEANS TO UNIONS. "I have had conversations with many of ■ tho members of Parliament who have made it elea» to mo that, they favour repealing v the Arbitration' Act,, which, I say, would bo the worst'thing for New Zealand that could ' happei}. - ', • , As I said, in Napior, this is iho age of tho Brotherhood , of Man, which means the protection of the weak. ,-There are' trades that would noi be affected if there wero no ' Act' to-morrow—the seamen's, typographical,, and others;:quite able to protect themselves. Then whom'does-it protect? It is the un- ' ; skilled worSers,, and the women who need '■ , protection, and they, will lose it, and the uni..ons will collapse within twelve months if tho Act is done away , iptli.. I want to impress on workers what they have gained, and— urJess they show some loyalty to the Arbit! ration .Act—'what' they stand fo lose."' L LAW-BREAKINC: WHAT' V/AIHI MAY L, J-. ; DO'. : Hore the. Minister uttered tho words of v warning.; which.- head "this column—a plain notice that the House is prepared to repeal the;. Act, .and that he. can only hold it with the support- of tho workers. . He went on ti ,say:,v / ' 1 " I'in telling tho workors of the colony " publicly that If Parliament got the opportunity they'll repeal it (the Act). . Here are ' Unions; openjy. breaking the ; law. (Mr. Carey: " What were tha bakers to do? ") If they want tho to strike tliey don't want the Arbitra-'' tion Act, and If they want tho Aot they must respect the'awards of the Court. "I would give up my position to-morrow to anyone who would, solve the problem between the workers, and;,capital. ~ I don't - know but what .ril wake iio. in the morning to learn -that the; Auckjand- tramways (>;• people are out on striko or that Waihi' lias . struck, a state of J-hiugs proving that tho workers are in revolt agaiii3t the Act. .".'(Mr, Carey:. "'Not ; th'o,Act-Jits administration.")' •

."I know-Labour objects to.the administra- ; tiop, and, docs liko; the Judge,, but oxsi you toll me an instance whore its administration lias been' out ? It hn» Iwii eifcetiva in 93 per cent, of cases npifrn-s employers, 73 per cent, of cases found.agates^the.work-, ers, and £700 out of the £1300 fine? against the .'..slaughtermen word collected;.',the balance. represented- those. men who. got.-away-to Australia before* the fines .were enforced.' It has done everything it coiild in'inflicting penalties whero : deserved, and has issued judgment summonses to offending employers; and men, until there was nothing to get." MOST CRITICAL YEAR IN HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY. "I feel so deeply," said Mr/Millar in;ex. cusing tho warmth of his remarks, " because tbero is so much at stake,..and because I feel that this is tho most' critical year in the history of tho country, ■•l .'want you to help . mo. We havo enjoyed prosperity, arid now when wo are a little less prosperous' 1 ' is tlie . worst time to causo troublo. Anyone kuoiv that it is madness to raiso prices on "a filling market. ' I want Vto save them (tin workers) from themsolvos,if I might say so • I am well on liow—l'm over .fifty, and havo nothing to gain and Not hing to 'lose by speak- ; ing like this. It's a world-wide problem. I. \ don't cxpect to.solve it> tliougli I'yo'a schoino \ in my head—(A Voice-. "Jack Rigg willsolvr it.")—no maii in tho room does, nor will our children, but wq,can all try to do that which. will hotter the community." - (Prolonged, applause;! '' ;• t' •