OPEN-MINDED INQUIRY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 23, 28 January 1928, Page 8

OPEN-MINDED INQUIRY

A Parliamentary Committee will meet next Wednesday to make arrangements for the industrial arbitration investigation promised by the Government last session. This Committee will represent all shades of opinion in the I House and all parties—farmers, labour, and town employers. It will not be th,e business of the Committee, however, to conduct the inquiry, only to set it on foot and so plan its course that the shoals and shallows of mere unprofitable argument may be avoided. Yet the Committee, in its initial approach to the business, may profoundly influence1 the ultimate result. If tho members will put aside for the time being their party leanings they will set an example to those who are to take part in the later deliberations. If, on the other hand, there is a disposition to bear in mind constantly how some move will affect the political position, how it may bo used to put the other party in the wrong, or what election ammunition it may furnish, there will be little substantial progress towards the main objective. It is most essential that the parties should meet free from prejudice, or at least as free as politicians can ever hope to be. The main conference which the Committee will arrange will succeed or fail according to the measure of reason which the delegates display. If1 they exercise their minds honestly in an endeavour to understand the other man's point of view they cannot fail to approach agreement. If, on the other hand, they insist upon their opinions there may be nothing but clash and conflict. We believe that the Prime Minister is right when he feels that there is a general determination to examine the whole question to see how the primary producer is affected. It was not lack of sympathy with the farmer that caused opposition to the proposals made last session. Bather, it was the belief that the changes suggested would be of no benefit to the farmer and would be definitely harmful to other branches of industry. This conference, it cannot be too strongly emphasised, is not a contest between the farmers on the one side and all other interests in opposition. ■ There is no need, to balance representation, as was suggested at Masterton, to prevent the farmer from being outvoted. Reason, and not voting strength, '.should be the deciding factor. If the representatives bear this in mind their deliberations should proceed in a favourable, atmosphere, free from the veiled hostility and suspicibn which are often more damaging than real differences to industrial peace.