N.Z. EMPLOYERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 October 1926, Page 8

N.Z. EMPLOYERS

PRESIDENTS SPEECH. WELLINGTON, October 21. In the cuuf se 01 the speecn by the Hon. i. ksnaner \veston, Al.ju.L'., President to the New Zealand Employers rederauon, at the annual meeting of the federation to-day, he said : — Unemployment may recur next year in New Zealand. The British coal strike has probably made it inevitable. That strike will probably cost the New Zealand dairy farmers £2,000,000, and the woolgrowers a very substantial sum also. It is claimed that every individual has the right to demand work, and if he cannot obtain it by his own initiative, it sJiould be provided by the State. This proposition is far from being admitted by all, but, if admitted, surely there are two necessary corollaries to it. Firstly, the individual asserting this r.ght must not by his own personal habits unfit himself to perform the work offered by the State. A soldier who by mutilating himself evades his mil.tary duties is regarded by his fellow soldiers as dishonourable. The man who, born fit and strong, through intemperance, vice, dishonesty or other personal failings disables himself from taking advantage, of the facilities for work this country affords, offends seriously against the community. Fortunately, the percentage in New Zealand of these men is very small indeed ; still the percentage of unemployment is also very low__ compared with other countries. For”the man able and willing to work who, through no fault of his own, is without employment, everyone should have the utmost sympathy. Nothing is more soul-racking, especially if he has dependents. The problem of unemployment must be faced by the united action of everyone—employers, individuals, local bodies and the Government. It is a problem which should be kept free from parties and politics. If it recurs next winter this Federation and the Associations should assist in making a close scrutiny into the causes—the numbers of unemployed who in'fairness ought to blame themselves for their positions and in what way the trouble can be remedied, wholly or in part. On this point one might suggest that “charity begins at home,” and moneys provided to assist the British coal miner might have been advantageously employed this winter and next in assisting unemployment in New Zealand.

As regards the question of alterations in our Customs tariff, I adhere to the views expressed at Christchurch recently. They were my own personal opinions. In speaking as I did, I was anxious that investors in secondary industries should not adopt an expedient which in my opinion is certain to increase the cost of living and, more particularly, will not in the long run be qf any lasting benefit to the industries themselves. Both in'lHe United States and in Australia increases in tariff have up till now always been followed at regular -intervals by demands for more. The reason for this is the higher cost of production, due to the increase in money wages, which always follows on higher protective duties. Since speaking at Christchurch, I find that the Governor of the Reserve Bank of South Africa has given a similar note of warning to the South African public, and the last few days the cables tell us that manufacturers of five different lines in South Africa have been staggered by the increases in money wages Just granted to their employees. These increases followed upon tariff increases upon articles manufactured by them. This is a good practical illustration of one of the main arguments as to the futility of higher protective duties, even to the industries they are designed to help.