LABOUR AND CAPITAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 72, 18 December 1917, Page 6

LABOUR AND CAPITAL

THE CLOSER UNION IDEAL

DISCUSSION BY REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH SIDES Proposals for promoting <i closer mifon # of omployers and employees were subimttoc! to the Industrial Association a few weeks ago h.v Mr. L. T. Watkins, and it was decided by tho association to invito representatives of Lnbour unions to discuss the matters brought forward by Mr. AVatkins. The meeting of the association which -Uiese representatives were asked to attend was held last night, and five representatives of "uaßour organisations were μ-esent. These wero Messrs. T. Wallace (of the Institute of Marino Engineers), B. Hampton (of tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants), W. Madclison, J. Fera;ussoii, and Williams. Mr. AVatkins led olf with tiome remarks about tho paper ho had read, drawing attention to the principal among the points he had made. Ho said that ho wouFd like the meeting to carry some such resolution as this: "Tnara"comrriittee of an equal number of members of tho Trades Council and tffo Industrial Association bo olocted to issue invitations' to employees' and employers' unions to consider the formation of an Arts and Crafts Guild in Wellington." He would also suggest the following resolution: "That this meeting form itself into ft committco for tho purpose of •jrnmotiiig tho establishment of a suitable Technical School for AVellington." Mr. AY. Maddjsou was the fust speaker in tho discussion, saying that he was not speaking as the representative of his union, but giving merely his own opinions. He realised that nil over tho world there was a. desiro to bring Labour and Capital together to promote inoreased efficiency, !ind increased output. LnEour was inclined to be suspicious about proposals to increaso efficiency, fearing that it ni'plit leacl to "speeding up" without conesponding increase in wages. He thought, however, that tho time was opportune to set up such a body as was proposed in the interests of the nation, and not in the interests of tho individual. He was not in favour of limiting The functions of this body By refusing to ;iiiow it to take cognisance oT wages nrd kindred matters. The wages «uid the purchasing power of the wage were of such great importance that they might involve all other Questions, nnd he was therefore of opinion that these matters sliotld be incnicM within Ihe order of reference of tho body to be set up. I If tho scope of the society were to J)e loss limited ho would welcome the foundation of such a society. Hβ wci.'ld like to see tho matter go further, and he would be prepared to co-opo:'ate in the formation of it. Mr. AVilliams said that lie did not agree with Mr. AYatkine's proposition ■ that the unsatisfactory state of indus- i tries was dxie to industrial strife. Labour upheavals had occurred tnly in unskilled occupations. AVith perhaps one exception there had not been a lock-out or strike in a skilled trade for twenty years. Ho favoured, as a solution of tho troubles besetting Capital and Labour, the setting up by the Government of a board of trade and industry, as proposed by the Canterbury Industrial Association. Hβ did rot think that the conditions under which trade guilds were able to assist in ihe I development of industry prevailed today. The guilds had gone out of existence in accordance with a process of evolution in industry, and he belioved that if they were brought into existence again they would quickly go cut again, and for exactly the same reasons. Mr. J. Fergusson supported the pro- | posal to form a guild, because he hoped that the formation of a guild might reestablish some industries, notably his own (cabinetmaking) ou the plane en which they stood many years Ego. He urged that the scope of the guild be not narrowed to exclude all matters now coming within the cognisance of the Arbitration Court. Mr. C. J. AYard spoke of tbe good work being done bj arts and crafts guilds in small towns in England in some trades. He was by no means of opinion that no good work was done in trades in New Zealand. He believed, in spito of all the pessimists said, that there was an upward trend in most trades even in benighted New Zealand. Ho was really hopeful that the coming together of Capital and Labour which had been inducod by the war would achieve much good for the nation. Ho was generally in favour of tho guild proposal submitted b f v Mr. AVatkins. Mr. AVatkins replied on certain of tlv> points raised. He was emphatic in his support of his first proposal, that the guild should havo power to deal with the conditions under which apprentices should bo indentured. He hoped that tho result of the meeting and of the jliscussion would bo that' tbe questions involved in all tho proposals made would he faced boldly." It was decided to adjourn the discussion until a future (meeting. ' I