PRICE OF LABOR

Evening Star, Issue 19632, 11 August 1927, Page 9

PRICE OF LABOR

ABSOLUTE FIXATION IMPOSSIBLE COURT’S PERNICIOUS ATTEMPTS ESPECIAL TO THE * SlAß.'] CHRISTCHURCH, August 11. In his presidential address to the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union, at the annual meeting last night, Mr R. M. D Morten criticised the operation of the Arbitration Court. “ With regard to the representations being mado by various farming associations throughout the dominion, urging the repeal ot iho Industrial, Conciliation, and Arbitration Acts,” said Sir Morten, " I would point out that it docs not necessarily follow that if the present Act were repealed, no protection would be available for the worker against sweating and unsafe and unhealthy conditions of working. These, where they are not already covered by statute, would require to be provided for by additional legislation in the interests of both workers and employers. To my mind the present position is the natural outcome of the pernicious attempts by the court at the fixation of prices for labor under all conditions, and without respect to the value of the product of that labor. This can no more be possible, or prove successful, with regard to labor than is the case when attempts are made to fix prices for other commodities, a recent example being that of the Butter Control Board’s policy of price fixation, which came to such an abrupt conclusion recently.”