HERESY OR ECCENTRICITY?

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 1, 1 July 1926, Page 10

HERESY OR ECCENTRICITY?

The assertion that the President of the Arbitration Court was unfortunately backing up "go-slow" methods Of workers in this country was mado by Colonel Allen Bell (Bay of Islands), in the course of his speech in the House of Representatives yesterday. Colonel Bell said that there was no hope for the workers of the country while they continued to work under the "go-slow" principle. The President of the Arbitration Court failed to recognise that tho principle thing to take into consideration was payment according to the amount produced, instead of basing awards wholly on the cost of living. "I know that this statement I am making will, be criticised all over the country," said Colonel Bell, "but that matters not to me." There was no possible hope of improving the conditions of farmers or workers in the country whilst the present trades union methods continued in operation. Bankers and others wero continually urging the workers to exercise thrift, but what was the good of talking like that to a married man with a family if ho was earning about £4 per week! Under the system of payment by results, however, the workers would not only have enough money to live on, but enough to spend in thoso enjoyments to which a rational human being was justly entitled. Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central); "Have you any figures to back that up?" Colonel Bell said that he knew the statement he was. making would probably be looked upon as heresy by his friends the Labour members ''' ■ Mr. Fraser: "No, eccentricity.*' (Laughter.)