The Feilding Star, Oroua and Kiwitea Counties Gazette. FRIDAY, AUGUST 23rd, 1907.

Feilding Star, Volume II, Issue 351, 23 August 1907, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua and Kiwitea Counties Gazette. FRIDAY, AUGUST 23rd, 1907.

Farmers' Arbitration. a s — - i It is very evident it will not do j to rely upon the success of the move- o ment to have 'farming exempted from * the operations of the Arbitration Act, and that if those engaged in -* primary production would be wise s to prepare their defence to a possible ] dispute in the Court while there is I plenty of time for consideration. The Wellington correspondent of the 1 Lyttelton Times, who is generally well informed as to the intentions c of Ministers, telegraphed on Tues- . day last: — "A rumour has been in \ circulation in Christchurch to the effect that the Government intended i to take steps to place agricultural \ laborers outside the operation of the < Conciliation and Arbitration. Act. This rutrtour. as might be expected, ( is abstolutely without foundation, and 1 Ministers state that it cannot be ] based on any official utterance or action. The Government will take j no action in the direction of limit- < ing the operation of the Act." From 1 what we know ourselves we can fully ' confirm these statements, and on the principle that it is best to be ready too soon than too late, those who are to the forefront in the movement for \ the protection of the interests of the farming community would be wise to leave nothing to chance. We know by experience that the system adopt- ' ed by the Unions in the Arbitration Court is to produce evidence in regard to the worst conditions prevailing in a certain occupation, and then to show the highest wages paid so as to $£ the standard on that basis. The result is that everyone is brought up to the highest standard although the local conditions may vary very much indeed. It is mainly to combat that method that preparation is necessary, and uuless this is undertaken ou -a systematic basis, sor? row may roigu by-and-by on many a farm. '*