ABANDONED

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 39, 16 February 1931, Page 10

ABANDONED

INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE

VIEWS OF EMPLOYERS

The conference between several organisations representing the primary producers, the manufacturers, and other employers, aud members of the Alliance of Labour, which had been arranged to open at Wellington on Thursday next, i has now been abandoned as a result of the definite announcement made by tho Prime Minister upon some of the more important matters which would have been considered by the conference. Commenting upon the derision, the secretary of the Employers' Federation (Mr. T. O. Bishop) said that under the circumstances the abandonment of the conference appeared to be inevitable. At the same time no effort would bo spared by employers' organisations to secure the co-operation of trade unions in bringing about the adjustments which are necessary to meet tho prosent economic conditions of the Dominion's trade and industry. The Prime Minister had made a pronouncement showing that he was inspired by a whole-hearted desire to so arrange the Dominion's financial affairs as to maintain our high reputation for sound] finance and common-sense administration. With most of Mr. Forties's suggestions the business community of New Zealand would probably bo found in agreement. "Since an adjustment of wages is absolutely inevitable," said Mr. Bishop, "no doubt the fairest way to bring about an adjustment is to use the existing machinery of the Arbitration Cout though the medium of a general order affecting all wages simultaneously. To bring this about an amendment of the Arbitration Act is necessary, and all employers will approve it as a teuiporay expedient. OPTIONAL ARBITRATION. "There is, however, a very widespread desire amongst all sections of employers to see the Arbitration Act still further amended in the direction of the recommendations made to the Government after the 1928 Industrial Conference. It will bo remembered that all sections of employers on that occasion urged upon the Government the substitution of optional arbitration for the one-sided compulsion which exists under the present Act. Employers arc convinced that economic necessity will eventually bring that amendment of tho Arbitration Act into being. Until it is secured New Zealand industries will labour under a burden of regulations which retard development and which in some ways aro moro expensive than the wages provisions of awards. Tho Prime Minister's present intention will enable an adjustment of wages to be made, but if provision is not made by which irksome conditions of many awards in many industries may be reviewed tho restoration of prosperity to New Zealand industries will still be difficult if not impossible of attainment. ALARM AT MORE TAXATION. "Tho whole business community will undoubtedly approve the Prime. Minister's proposals for economy. Thero must, however, be alarm at tho suggested increased taxation. The question which will exercise all thoughtful minds in connection with the pronouncement will be whether the proposals for economy could not havo been carried a little further and so avoided tho necessity for proposing increased taxation. Increased taxation I will be very difficult to obtain from the reduced incomes ni' the current year.

"The Prime Minister's expressed desire that the public should be given tho full benefit of reduced wages in price reductions and his determination to enforce this as fur as possible will bo approved. In 1022, when wage reductions were brought about by general

| Order of tho Arbitration Court, the Employers' Federation adopted the following resolution: —

"Each employer and each particular industry must endeavour to make reductions in prices equivalent not only to the reduction in wages paid by that employer or industry, but also the consequent reduction in prices of charges for goods and services produced or rendered by others which are part of the cost of production of each employer or industry. If prices have already been reduced and no further reduction is possible, that position must be made clear to tlio general public by advertisement or otherwise and reasons for non-reduction should be furnished to the secretary, New Zealand Employers' Federation.

"That will no doubt be- the spirit which will actuate employers under the similar circumstances which now exist."