EMPLOYERS' POINT OF VIEW.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 239, 2 July 1908, Page 7

EMPLOYERS' POINT OF VIEW.

VOLUNTARY CONCILIATION. THE PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL COUNCILS (BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Chrlstohurch, July 1. "I think the employees have obtained all the benefits they possibly could under the Arbitration Act, and are'now snapping their fingers at it," remarked Mr. F. W. Hobbs, president of the Canterbury Employers' Association,; to a' "Press" reporter, when approached for -his views 'in regard to the Hon. J. A:..Millar's .statement relative. to tlio'.abolition of the arbitration system. "I do not think thoi present .system of eol- ' lectiug fines'imposed oir employees through their employers is feasible. This idea I believe has been iii vogtio since the Slaughtermen's strike. I believe, the Labour Department is still collecting the fines. lain of opinion that compulsory arbitration can no longer stand in the Dominion. Thecorn.pulsory clauses of the Act have lasted up till now, not because they are, compulsory, but beeauso tho Act' is giving tho workers as much as, and perhaps more than, • they hoped they could obtain, by ■ direct negotiations with tho employers. The Act has further been tho means of building up unionism, and as the rosult of this increased strength tho unions in many, eases have thought . themselves • strong: enough foi a. straight-out ' fight . -with . the employers. ■lit; these circumstances' they are not likely' to'., submit to any form of.compulsory arbitration.. The: employers generally bcliovo that the-only. Act which would be'of any uso would bo one providing machinery for voluntary conciliation' in cases of dispute. If Mr. Millar's proposed Industrial Councils are established, the ("employees will probably abide by..them, until they can gain 110 fur-' ther" benefit' from them, and then they will only laugh at them/ .What tho employers need is that there shall be no- distinction made' ih 'the eyes of the law between them and:tlio employees. At the present timo all. tho enforcements are against the employers, .-.vhic.li is ■ entirely opposed to tho policy of British fair play, and rfhich. the employers, will, aecept -no longer." Mr."Hobbs suggested that tho only way of settling disputes would be by means of voluntary Conciliation Boards appointed by each side. to. disputes 011 their merits, any agreement to last"'as long as it was hcceptable to both parties. Tho Chairman should be some prominent Government official who should-be ready to act immediately any dispute aroso.

A speech by tho Hon., John Bigg, M.L.C., on tho Arbitration "Act, reported on our Parliamentary page, will be read with interest,