OUR LABOUR LAWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 322, 8 October 1908, Page 4

OUR LABOUR LAWS.

THE CRAZE FOR LEGISLATION. THE DANCER OF SOCIALISM. ME. H. BROADHEAD'S VIEWS. An interesting paper on "The Craze for Legislation and some of .its Aims" .was read at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Employers' Federation yestorday by Mr. H. Broadhead, secretary of tho Canterbury Employers' Association and author of "State Regulation of Labour and Labour Disputes in New Zealand." Tho following is a summary of the articlo:— "It is a remarkable sign of'tho times that in 'most of the young countvics in tho world, and also in some old ones, persistent attempts are being mado to havo all sorts of social problems dealt with by means of legislation. Wo must recognise and faco this cry for moro law, which seems to be gaining ground in many countries, including Great Britain. As Lord Roscbery remarks, wo havo passed from an era of | emancipation into 'an era much moro difficult, much more ••fertile, and moro full of stumbling blocks— an era of construction,' and 'increasingly the Legislature, was endeavouring to . raise and fortify'a new and somewhat empirical society,by moans of legislation.' It is tho • boast of somo of our politicians that, unlike the legislators of older countries, they pro- • -duco laws first, and allow sentiment and, conviction to follow. I do not think it would bo difficult to provo that this practice has led to very unsatisfactory results. Arbitration Act. "The Arbitration Act, for oxamplo, was , passed by .Parliament before tho wisdom or folly of regulating the industries of the - Dominion by -means 'of compulsory arbitration had been fully considered by tho people. It is true the-measure was boforo the country for two or three years, but tho proposals it contained were so drastic that a much longer period ought to have boon allowed forits consideration. -Many of the great reforms of the past have not suffered by reason of years of consideration before being placed on the statute book. - Rome was' not built jn a day, and tho labour problem and. many other questions of the hour cannot be solved by ah instantaneous stroke of the J>en, no matter how wise; or enterprising our. egislators may be. But in these, days Par-' liaments seem to bo in a hurry, and some of thom, not unknown in the Southorn iPacific, rush measures through at such -a high rate of. speed that they havo no sooner, become law. than it is discovered they'require amendment to make them intelligible and workable. 'A Ministry now,' says Lord Rosebery, . . reckons its Acts of Parliament -at the ond of tho 'session as sportsmen recqrd their bag.' -Rushing to Parliament. - "I venture to think that. tliis'craze for . legislation,- which, is expected to set everything in tho world aright,' will, like many other crazes, run its course. After that, perhaps, something olso will be resorted to by a class for the redemption of tlio world.-. •There is a' considerable number of people, however (and I oonfess I am cue of thom),who hold views similar to those held by' Lord Rosebery with respect to legislation, and it behoves such poople to discourage the , prevailing tendency to rush to Parliament: with everyJriew scheme, and to opposo to the uttermost any measure in which there is any encroachment on the common law rights anil liberties of the people. It is a matter of notoriety that a gross abuse has been made of the New ,Arbitration .Act,:almost since ever it came into force, by the manner in which disputes have-been created':by; the workers' „■ VWhilo it has seejtied tfl; many that the machinery, provided was partly responsible for this, it " lias been held by some that the Arbitration Court has exceeded its_ jurisdiction in hearing mauy purely factitious disputes: -■ The Union Label. "The union labol has been put into operation by somo. trade unions in America, although it is not authorised by law. A, lew; particulars of its working in that' country some years ago may be given.: 'In Chicago)' we aro told, ' the union label system is carTied to an extreme. Members of tho unions aro commanded to buy only union goods under pain of heavy penalties. . , Bargain shops .may. .patronised -unless the. walking delegate is satisfied that everything sold conies from unionised factories.' A San Francisco newspaper says:—' Tho label is the recognised engine of boycott. Members dealing 'with a merchant who does not uso the ■ label aro heavily fined. Public attention ia 'called to tho boycott by a sandwich man ; placed in front of,the tabooed shop, and often assisted by a' kerb-stone orator.' It appears that unionism in tho land of tho ' Stars and Stripes has'become so tyrannical - that a great Citizens' Alliance has been formed with tho object of suppressing its tyranny and fighting against the union label.: Power of Labour. " It will bo apparent that it is through' legislation the Labour party seeks to attain its ends. That party makes no disguise ' of its intention to exploit capital, and without any regard to the welfare of the community, and, having the votes, it employs what it , believes to bo tlio quickest and surest means of effecting that purposo. Of late years there have certainly been measures of a most objectionable type enacted, by- our Parliament, but if the Socialistic element becomes stronger in the House than it is at present, we shall have legislation as menacing to ' the welfare of tho poople as has eyer been brought forward in Australia. * The Fight With Socialism. "I would like to say that this is a matter which does not concern merely employers of .labour. It concerns every ..thoughtful citizen;'.who .-has. ; .any real . stake v ,or interest in the country." The fight againvt'Socialism: is really only beginning, and if the; wliolo community will wake up -'.before it is too late :and exercise its rights of. citizenship, this land'may be saved from untold trouble. What' I fear is. that there is among' many people too much.apathy. There also appears to be a .tendency among somo; to regard-So-cialism 'as' comparatively 'harmless, -while; others profess they arc prepared to : bow. to! tho inevitable.- ' It is one of those things that are bound to come,' say tho latter,'and so thoy quietly and inecklv submit to their., fate. Another class, and Ihope it is-lint a numerous one, profess to be sympathetic with the Socialists through fear of giving offence. There seems to mo to be a great want of buck bone among these different classes. Either ,Socialism is right or it is wrong. Let those who ft'ally believe.it to be wrong have nothing to do with it. I feel I cannot too strongly urge that the general community must arouse itself from its apathy and be prepared to do battle against every attempt made, whether on the part of Socialists, aggressive unionists,- or any other class, to interi'oro with tho liberty of the subject. In a lecture recently delivered in Australia, Professor Henry Jones, of Glasgow, said: 'You require very good people to riin a democracy; it is the linost form of Government, but it is only the finest kind of man that can run it.' Wanted—A Man. "What I think democratic New Zealand wants to-day is a man. I boliovo that nearly all the groat reforms which havo left a permanent blessing upon mankind have been chiefly brought about through tho infhienco of a few great men. I feel certain that what tho people of this country require is a man with a great personality—a man above party; place, or power —a mail whose solo ambition is to save his country, and who has the genius to lead the people. The people havo ' hecn long accustomed to havo it dinned into their cars that what thoy require is plenty of legislation. AVliat they really require is to be told that they can do much better for themselves without legislation, -A certain quantity of domestic legislation is", of course, necessary, but in these days the legislative machine' is run to death. And what is tlio result? Tho rosult is a ory for more of it. It certainly does not produce happiness and

contontmont among tlio people. Legislation cannot reform, human nature, and until human..iiaturo is reformed the labour problem and; some .othor.kuotty.' social problems can never prpporly .bp'solvfwl." :::'hon.::c.lm; luke's views. Speakjng - on; tho paper, the Hon. C. M. Luko remarked that- the situation was never morb igenous-than at" present. Ho had seen, .dufillgi'tho .paSt.:'f.cw\viars, that which was never (keamed; of; before, tlio activities of men-herb arrayed against the employers for no other reason than to advance their own personal interests. ■ 110 thought tho most unhappy man in this country was the Ministor for Labour, who,, lie bejioved, was trying his best to put his back against those who threatened an attempt to swamp tho country.'. The .rush with which legislation wont through Parliament was perfectly appalling. Last year, his first year in tho Legislative Council, ho was surprised with the lightning speed with which Bills, -serious in their import, were pushed through. He would liko -to! seo.'tho'-mecting speak with no uncertain voice on - this matter, and ho hoped that somothing might bo dono to avert the evil consequences that . were wrapped up' in tho Conciliation and Arbitration Bill. Mr. Broadhead was accorded a hearty voto of thanks, and it was resolved to havo the paper printed. ■ • .