IN THE COUNCIL

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 11, 13 July 1922, Page 4

IN THE COUNCIL

The Address-in-Rei>ry debate was continued in tho Legislative Council yesterday afternoon,

The Hon. W. Earushaw said great problems awaited solution, not the least of which had to do with labour. The country could not afford a labour conflagration at this stage, and he therefore urged thoso who were working in this direction to take a second thought. Honest unionism was legitimate, and should "be encouraged. He regretted that the old personal touch between employer and employee had been lost. The minimum wage in its present day operation was a curse. Tho Government should take proper stops against the One Big Union idea, and, iv particular, any attempt by tho Alliance of Labour to drag into its net the Public Service should be squashed. Personally, he felt that the A.S.R.S. should be compelled to withdraw its affiliation, but at the same time proper facilities to put forward their claims should be given Public servants. He objected to tho present minimum wage system, and considered that tha Arbitration Court should .fix a unit of value for an ordinary day's work. If that were done, an employer would be compelled to pay an average of, say, 15s a day to his employees, though there might bo some receiving less and others more than 16s. t That would enable each man to find his proper lex el. The Hon. W. H. M'lntyre expressed the hope that the Government would i.ot listen to those who urged the abolition of preference to unionists, for any attempt to act on the suggestion would be fought to the last ditch. He regretted that the Governor's Speech contained no reference to an amendment of the licensing law. Stability was required, and, if Prohibition wa3 not carried next election, no further referendum should be token for at least six yeans. That would pnablo licensees to undertake needed improvements in their premises. Much greater attention should be paid to tho education of children in the backblocks. He spoke of the need for improving th e conditions of coalminors. The debate was adjourned, on the motion of the Hon. R. Moore.