ON THE PLATFORM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1302, 4 December 1911, Page 8

ON THE PLATFORM.

WELLINGTON NORTH. ■MR. JIERDMAN'S ADDRKSS. ; Mr. A. L. Kcrdman addressed n crowded meeting at the Kelburno Tea Kiosl; on Saturday evening. Mr. A. Johnstone occupied the chair. The candidate dealt with a reference which had been made to his action over the Shops and Offices Bill. When the Hill wa.s in Committee he desired to make it a workable measure, but was unable to persuade the Givernment to give effect to his wishes. The Government had passed a law which they dare not enforce. Tho position was absurd. Tf they attempted to give effect to the silly law they would rlcke down half the boardinghouses in New Zealand. Tie believed in passing laws which would let businesses live nnd llourish. Such a policy meant more work for workers, better conditions for workers, and general pros|writy. He asked his audience to beware of the wild fanalic and Ihe thoughtless agitator, who would legislate industry, trade nnd business out of existence. If limes were dull in Wellington, just now, if there was a lack of conl'idence, Ihe reason was not tar lo seek, The agitators who misled their own followers were responsible.. As lolhe cloven hours' amendment submitted by him that was moved in Die inle.re.sl iif employers am! workers who desired to have u six, instead of a seven-day wool;. There were three points lo remember. First, he had not proposed lo increase the uumlx'r of hours to be worked in a nwk ; .second, Ihe right to work up lo eleven hours in any one day is necessary in coulicclioii with the hotel and re.sliiiiranlbusiiicss, nnd dial if eleven hours is worked ill more than one day in n week less than ton hours will have to be worked on other days in Ihe same week. Third, Dm lon hour's' limit (Mr. Carey's limit) punish«,s those restaurant-keepers who do not desire (o work (heir employees on a Sunday, and il punishes the workers who don't want lo work on Sunday, lie referred in scathing terms to Iho uclion of the "New Zealand Times" in mw-d----ing Dial he wanted ivn eleven hours' day for public servants. The suggestion wns n tvpicnl Ciovernuienl invention, and so palpably dishonourable thai il was hardly .worth noticing. He had never Muled such a thing; never ronlemnlalcil such n stupid proposaL Mr. Ilcrdmiin theli elabornled his schemes for the lxdloi- menngoment. of the public service and railways. He dealt with the settlement of Native lands, and stale of the public finances, and other matters of interest. No questions were asked. A vote of thanks and confidence in Mr. Ilcrdmiin, moved by Mr. Burns nnd sccfiuled by Mr. Webb carried amidst loud applause, brought ft highly successful meeting to n close. '