Evening Post. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1908. VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 45, 22 February 1908, Page 4

Evening Post. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1908. VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS.

The remarks by Mr. William Scott, secretary of tho Otago Employers' Association, upon voluntary industrial agreements, afford a singularly complete endorsement of views recently expressed in The Post. We pointed out, in effect, that conciliation was of one intellectual species, nnd compulsory arbitration of another; that the discretion 'of tho iron hand in tho silken glove was a fallacy of the ages : and that" the best theory of industrial legislation, like those intelligent drinkers whose habits we prohibit and deplore, "never mixed." Ihe essential reason is in the human mind's 'desire for ultimatea. When employer and' workman know that conciliation is regaTded as the first step in a series, and arbitration as tho second, the second step is seen even while the first is mounted ; and there is no natural rest with further heights to scale, as every mountainer knows who ha 3 stopped short of the last peak. Consequently tho practice of conciliation under existiug law has always been half-hearted. Each party made believe lliat it was earnest, aud both parties had the instinct that nothing was in earnest shoit of "the mighty mast" of tho Arbitration Court. Tho •amendment of tho Industrial Acts suggested by The Post, talcing a hint from British practice, would bring disputants in face of compulsion at the outset, while making it easy for them to settle their own differences if they wished — puttiug them on honour to observe the obligations they voluntarily contracted, and intruding only to oil the machinery of conference and to secure the registration of agTeemeuts. In other words, we would Siiy to every pair of industrial disputants : "Will you be friendly ? or will you light? If you want to bo friends, shake hands and settle your differences between yourselves in any way you please ; and that's the course which, if you can follow it, will pay you. If you want to fight, here's the Arbitration Court and let the best case win : then we'll compel you to observe the Court's awaTd." That only^ seems to be the present procedure. The real procedure is essentially different in that the Conciliation I Boards do exercise authority ; and agreements made under their authority are binding. Wo would have only one court to bind, and all voluntary agreements dependent for preservation upon the good sense and good faith of the parties. The history of the British Act justifies belief that the majority of voluntary agreements would be kept; and there would bo this aid to keeping them, that they would be variable at any time to accord with the changing conditions of industry. We found our argument on tho common sense of New Zealand. We believe that both employers and workmen are weary of kicking against the pricks ; and we believe that presently it will be generally recognised that in every industry employers and workmen have a common interest which makes harmony pay better than discord. The day of exploiting labour in New Zealand is over. The day of co-opera-tion has come ; and once this is understood agreement betweon omployers and wovkmon will bo comparatively easy. We do not yield in intelligence to our Britibh brothers, and what- they have done we can do. The Otago Employers' Secretary gives instances to show that we are doing it. "During the past twelve months he had settled more disEutes in conference than before tho Aritration Court. Agreements made between the parties are always better kept, and are, generally speaking, more workable than awards of the court. Parties to these agreements aro experts ; they are thoroughly conversant with all technicalities ; they provide for everything ; and they understand tho meaning of clauses they themselves liavo drafted." As .we hive said, We commend the fuller text of Mr. Scott's remarks, ns printed ckewhoro in Ihn Post, to every employer and Lo every workman in New Zealaudt