PRESENT-DAY TROUBLES

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 139, 15 June 1933, Page 9

PRESENT-DAY TROUBLES

A DIFFICULT PERIOD

ERA OF ORGANISATION

"It might easily have happened during tlio past few years that we had some .very difficult industrial situations to handle," said the Minister of Labour (the Hon. A. Hamilton) at tho social gathering of tho New Zealand Bank Officers' Guild last night. "That, fortunately, has been avoided, and it is to tho credit of the people of this country that there have been no serious industrial disturbances."

The Bank Officers' Guild, he said, belonged to a very fortunato class in that its members wero employed by what he supposed wcro the strongest organisations in the country today. They were affected much less than workers in other trades and professions, many of .whom had lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Tho banks had a very difficult task at the present time, and he joined with tho president in acknowledging the way in which they had carried on. It was a great credit to New Zealand, and other countries were not so. fortunate.

He sometimes wondered why people found it so much more difficult to accept a reduction 'in their salary of 10 per cent, than an increase of 20 per cent. (Laughter.) Those who had lived in New Zealand during the last thirty years had known a period of prosperity such as it had been the lot of few to enjoy, and it might be that that prosperity had caused people to run away Avith themselves.. Adversity plight develop tho- better characteristics. Though the present period was a very difficult ono he had agreed with Mr. Ovose (chairman of tho Associated }sanks) that it was also a very interesting one. Difficult tasks could be made easier by the interest they created, and there was a lot of educational value to Ivo derived from tho present difficulties. The younger officers could learn a greatdeal which might bo of value in ,the future.'. . •"'-.•■• DANGERS TO BE AVOIDED. After referring to the valuable objects of the guild, ho said that these Wore clays of organisation. "I don t know that we are not over-organised, ho said, "we arc sometimes apt to lose our individuality in organisatou." • '•■ Industtal organisations served a very useful purpose. It was right that_ workers should group together for their own protection and advancement Though he had not been in any trade union he <-ould soen soin'o clangers in organisation. There was tho danger that.tho Teturn- for the expense entailed might not bo sufficient to justify it, and ho thought there-might :bc some unions an that category in Now Zealand. Ho also found that in-, an organisation there was a danger of. becoming, unreasonable—an clement of extremism _ was liable to creep in, and it was wise to fight that danger. Seasonable - men should always-be kept at the head ot affairs. An organisation helped.to put men in a position to. claim their rights, lout -they should also remember their duty-to "society." Probably one of, the ■valuable results of tho depression, would be a. better understanding between employee and employer. .