NATIONAL REVIEW

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 78, 1 April 1920, Page 7

NATIONAL REVIEW

OP INDUSTRIAL AFFAIHS

THE- PROPOSED CONFERENCE.

{Contributed by the Welfare League.)

The league, in issuing its memorandum suggesting the calling of a national industrial conference, had for its object the focussing of the desire that exists for the Government to act in that direction, We find that/some bodies have taken the erroneous impression that the league wished to call such a conference. We want it distinctly understood that, in issuing the memorandum, all that the league desired-was that the'bodies receiving it should indicate whether they desire the 'Government to call sucb > conference or not. The league does not ask for any standing or credit in con-j nection with the matter.. We submit the following as au interim report to the public. '. . ' ■'.-.'

RECEPTION OF PROPOSAL.

. We find that the proposal has received! a considerable amount of support throughout the Dominion. The press has been very .favourable towards the idea.' Some'twenty-six newspapers published the memorandum, and. ' sixteen daily papers have published«leading articles in, favour of the proposeU, In addition', a number of papers have published paragraphs and letters in support. From the communications we have received; we find, that the, following bodies declare definitely for the proposal :—The Borough Councils. of Wellington City, New Plymouth, Petone, Cambridge, Masterton, Lyttelton, Blenheim, Stratford, Invercargill. The New Zealand Farmers' Union (National Executive and., the branches of Auckland and Marlborough).: The Merchant Service Guild, Mastertou Trades and Labour Council, Poverty Bay Employers' Association. Chambers of Commerce of Hastings, Cambridge, and Gisborne. * Canterbury, Industrial Association. The general secretaries of some of'tW labour federations, also express support, but , intimate that, the matter goes before their next, ..meeting of council or conference. The principal industrial organisations of both employers and workers have, so fa^ not expressed their stand .upon the question,, but have intimated that it is being considered at the next meeting of their conference, or council, as the case- may be. Some borough councils have simply read and received the communication, ■ and., from the nature of their, replies, they seem doubtful it it comes within theii' func. Won. Only in three cases have bodies negatived the proposal. Some of the replies to the question raised have been sent to the Government, and it may be that others than those "we name are in favour; we only give those the league is apprised of. ■

SUGGESTED QUESTION'S FOR DIS

OUSSION,

The league had ; simply pat the" general proposal for a conference in its memorandum for the reason that it considered the Government and the parties called would be best able to define what questions should be dealt with. It has been represented to us, however, that the league might further assist by formulating some questions by way of suggestions. After consideration,:arid with no desire to go further than respectfully proffer', its opinion on the matter, the league has written to the Prime Minis-ter-detailing these three questions, which ■it considers are of vital national importance at the.; present time, and which tmight well be reviewed by a responsible conference, of practical men representative of the various interests. , ,

(1) Review of existing methods for the settlement of industrial disputes, with a view to devising improved methods which would be mutually ao-

ceptable to employers and workers

(2) Consideration of the prinoipl©. of establishing industrial councils representative of employers and employed for the joint control of particular industries and the best means of establishing same where desired. ■ . (3)' The best means of stabilising conditions in order to. ensure the progress of our industries and maintain a good standard of . living, having special regard to the relation of wages and prices. '.'.•...:■■.. I

BRIEF COMMENTS.

We tliinli: all will recognise the wisdom of -making the question^ for such a conference few in number. 1 Technical trade matters may be' best left to the trade concerned. The principles' underlying the- three 'questions' we submit will ■be recognised as matters cpnunonly affecting all "industry, and therefore properly the consideration of a national representative industrial conference: From: the whole of the public discussion now taking.place_ it is most evident that the' Prime/ Minister, the Government, the employers, the workers, and the consuming public are each and-all dissatisfied with the existing state of industrial affairs. We submit with the utmost confidence that therein lies the very strongest reason, amounting practically .to a doty, why: the bold and candid course of a national and fully representative review of the. situation should be promptly undertaken. For the employers in their own councils and the workers in theirs to decide separately on issues of industrial progress, peace, and stability does not appear to us sufficient to effect the co-operation of . citizenship, ■which is all important in this time of reconstruction. . Qur appeal for the holding, of a national conference is not based on the idea that, it-can settle all the economic problems, but simply on the practical ground that it can give us something in the way of better working industrial understandings and system thaii we have now, and that surely, is worth trying for.