MINISTER’S WARNING TO UNIONS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 301, 16 September 1936, Page 11

MINISTER’S WARNING TO UNIONS

“Making Things Impossible” GOVERNMENT HINDERED BY PETTINESS Dominion Special Service. Auckland, September 15. An appeal against further attempts to embarrass the Government, and a general warning to trade unionists, was made by the Deputy-Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party, the Hon. P. Fraser, when addressing a large audience last night. “The Government and the trade unions cannot maintain what they have won unless the unions work in co-operation with the Government they helped to elect,” declared the Minister. “The 1913 upheaval, and the series of disasters which followed it, were brought about by the impatience of a few men in Wellington. Not comprehending, they stepped out at a most inopportune time, when Labour was organising on better lines than ever before. In consequence, the movement was set back many years. Working People Helped. “Speaking with all humility, I can say that the present Government- of New Zealand has done more for the working people than any Government of any country in the world in a similar period,” said Mr. Fraser, amid applause. “Labour asked the people to support a few main principles, and swept the country. To-day we ask ail who have any regard for Labour and democracy to help Labour in a sensible and organised manner. We have had a little bit of the other sort of thing, but I believe it has been due to misunderstanding.” In the Labour Party’s pre-election documents there had been no mention of the 4(5-hour week. The main reason for introducing it, as far as it could be sensibly and applied, was to help those who had been out of work so long to get back into industry. Need for Understanding. “To all those who have threatened all sorts of things in a selfish, inconsiderate and not understanding way,” proceeded Mr. Fraser, “to those who have threatened to throw industry out of gear because they have not got just what they want, I say that the 40-hour week is not mainly for the benefit of those in constant work—though we recognise the importance of leisure — but for the benefit of those who have not had a chance to work. All that is needed is understanding, because no trade unionist wants to see the Labour Government crash or what it has given him taken away—and there is a serious danger of that.” Not only trade unionism, but democracy itself was at stake, continued Mr. Fraser. Therefore, the message he would leave in Auckland was that if democracy failed in New Zealand, it failed everywhere. In the whole Empire, New Zealand alone possessed a Labour Government which was in a position to use its sovereign power for the benefit of the mass of the people. Trade unionists should realise that the situation had changed and that their function was now to support the Labour Government and to put up with disadvantages that might exist for the time being. There were forces which, if a Labour Government failed, would step in and not bother about the ballot box. Fascism and Nazism had come into being through the stupidity and disunity of the Italian and German workers. Embarrassed by Unions. “A Labour Government must govern with the consent and help of the people generally,” said the Minister. “If it cannot enforce the law with their support, it must abdicate, unless it uses its power against the working people who elected it. That is an impossible position, but what is the alternative? To walk out and let the opponents in. I tell trade unionists frankly that they are making things impossible for the Labour Government. They say that they do not wish to embarrass it, and then they proceed to do so. If a Government is made ridiculous, it is not fit to govern. “Their Own Petty Ends.” “The Government is not going out. It is here to make industry, go normally. I invite the transport workers to remember this: strikes and aggressive action on the waterfront are not, against the ship-owners, but against the Labour Government. If it misses the London market, the Government will not be able to go on with its humanitarian legislation. “I do not feel like appealing on a matter like this. The duty of a trade unionist, if he has any sense at all, is to see that industry is kept going to enable the Labour Government to carry out its programme for abolishing

poverty for ever. Tf we go from democracy to dictatorship the fault will lie with those thoughtless people who for their own petty ends endangered the whole fabric of Labour.”