AN UNPLEASANT RUMOUR.
During tho current week thcro has been only one strike in New Zealand—that which took place at Kaitangata on Tuesday. We were tolcl that it caused "a sensation" at Kaitangata, which will striko, the public as a rather curious and amusing fact. Why it should cause a " sensation " we cannot imagine. It was merely ail ordinary cxorcise by mineworkers of tho privilege claimed by Labour to break tho law if it really cannot accept it; it was no more than a breach of the penal prohibition against strikes, presenting no spccial features of any kind. This disturbance will nevertheless serve to remind the public that Parliament, when it returns from its Auckland holiday, will be required to deal with the Arbitration Act Amendment Bill. Before the adjournment of the House on Friday last thero were becoming current some rumours that tho Government does not intend to amond tho Arbitration Act this year. It was suggested hero and thcro that thero were not wanting certain means by which the Government's desiro for delay might so prolong the deliberations of tho Labour Bills Committee .is to enables tho Prime Minister to aunounco later on, in regretful tones, that tho pressuro. of members anxious to get at their constituents made it impossible for him to deal with this important question before the prorogation of Parliament,
Wo entirely disbelieve these rumours. In tho past wo have condemned, as wo still condemn, tho ignoble policy of tho Government in bringing the law into contempt in its anxiety to placato the Labour unions that keep it in office. But wo refuse to believe, and we reprobate the suggestion, that tho Government could 'be guilty of ( such contemptible trickery as an evasion of its pledge to amend tho arbitration law before the session closes. It is not merely'that Mil. Millar has unequivocally declared his determination to pass the Bill into law this year; it is not merely that tho existing position
the law is quite intolerable, and utterly repulsive to all just men; but that a continuance of the present state of things, in which Labour unions can break the law with impunity, and are sedulously exercising this amazing liberty, is subversive of order, greatly injurious to the public's respect for law, and pregnant with enormous evil to everybody in the shape of a Labour arrogance that can only end in great distress to the workers themselves. Theso are decisive reasons why no Government that possesses a shred of decency could lea ve matters where they are.
The Prime MiNigTEH, Jbeing on the eve of the General Elections; would no doubt be glad il ! - ho could shelve the whole business. But Sir Joseph Waud probably now realises the seriousness of the position. Nor are the private members of Parliament likely to connive at evasion, even if desired by Ministers. What member will carc to face his constituents as a man who, by omitting to use every means in his power to have the Act amended, has signally failed in his duty to the country 1 AVhat country membercan go with empty lunds to the community that has emphatically callecl for the repeal or drastic amendment of the Act. It is inconceivable that the question will bn. shirked, and it should be emphasised that it will have been shirked if, short of repeal, the amendments are not of a thoroughly drastic character. When we say that we cannot believe the Government or Parliament capable of shelving the question, we mean, not merely that honour requires something to be done, but thaf; it requires root-and-branch action. A trivial- tinkering with the law will be worse than complete inaction, sinco it will be a betrayal of the public under the guise of service.
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Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 276, 14 August 1908, Page 6
Word Count
626AN UNPLEASANT RUMOUR. Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 276, 14 August 1908, Page 6
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