INDUSTRIAL PHAGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10727, 26 October 1928, Page 3

INDUSTRIAL PHAGE.

IiON. T. SiiAlLEft WEB TON'S 'VHWs: ' NEED FOR"VOLUNTARY ARRANGEMENT (Special To Tllo Times): WELLINGTON, Oct. 25. _ ■ ‘‘Thorp is one condition which _is essential if'our returning prosperityis to grow, and th&tl'is industrial peace and mutual co-operation between labor, management and capital,’’ said the Hon. T. Shailer, Wes* ton in his annual report to the N.Z. Employers' Federation today. “Three years ago the economic outlook for New Zealand was decidedly promising. Then the maritime strike in overseas ,vessels Whs followed by. the general strike, and the . six months coill strike ill England. The effects of these strikes were world-wide, and brought heavy loss to all countries supplying the English markets. It is difficult to estimate exactly what those “strikes cost New Zealand. The first one threw the regularity of_ oiir sbipi ment« of produce into disorder, and the other two seriously impoverished the resources of our consumers. It has been.calculated that over the two seasons 1925-26 and 1926-27 and 1926-YfT, these strikes by their effect, upovf the prices obtained , for our wojll, meat, butter and cheese, cost this country in the neighborlioov of 4S>,IKX) 000. Unemployment relief in iNew Zealand during the last two if years must have cost the State local authorities, and private individuals about £1,500,000. If the £3,000.000 lost to our producers through these disastrous strikes had been in their oockets available to be spent. in improvements and other directions, how much’less unemployment there would liav« been and what a saving of public funds. IVe have here a very striking instance of the disastrous effect of labour troubles. “Personally, throughout the last ten years I have always argued the necessity of getting in" the closest touch with trade union leaders, and therefore welcomed the calling of the industrial Conference. It was one of the great achievements of the present Prime Minister. We must at the same time recognise the effects of those trade union leaders who worked to make it a success. .Not inly did the conference result in a better mutual appreciation of the intentions and views of the employers and employees but it brought the town and country interests into closer touch. You have it in the annual report a review of the remedies suggested by the employers, compulsory 'eoneiliathm and ontional arbitration. Labor’s remedy, an dnlustrial Council representin': the workers in every class of industry, wfas strongly urged. Given right leadership of labor and a recognition 1 by loth parties thaot the prosper tv ■af ail industry is denendenfc on both n.bor and capital there is ,a great ileal to be said for the scheme. The danger however, is that under the scheme immense powers would he invested in a few trade union leaders. With one big union it is npt easy for the rank and file to control promptly the actions of their leaders, or to oust them when the policy they are advocating is dangerous and uneconomical. These powers might be used for political or even for revolutionary 'purposes. In Australia where big unions are more the vogue than in New Zealand, they have no respect for Arbitration ; it has been a ■ailure. The big militant unions have no respect for Arbitration Awards. ’ One of the reasons suggested during the conference for th s was that in Australia trade union leaders had relied upon political .-action rather than upon the need ior the prosperity of industries. Whatever the reason the result m Australia make one hesitate to give Lgislative sanction ,to the scheme of one big labor union whose leaders could if they so desired dictate to industry. A benevolent tyrant is one of the best of rulers, but what if he is not benevolent “At the same time so important to this country and, indeed, to the British Empire is industrial peace that personally I would be glad to co-operate with the Trade Union leaders in bringing about all the re suits of such a scheme by voluntary arrangement. In this way the feasibility of the scheme would be tested, and its advantages and disadvantages weighed out. Already since the conference some good work has been done in the prevention of industr hi disputes along these lines. In-, dust-rial peace is all important, and team work between workers’ and employers’ organisations in each indus try most essential. Certainly, looking back ten years, there has teen a great and welcome change in the outlook and New Zealand the establishment of a Soviet republic was dreamed of as a practical possibility. For some jears Mloscow was looked upon by many Labor leaders as a spiritual home. in England this view crashed with the failure of the general strike and subsequent coal strike. The sturdy commonsense of the majority of British workmen was shocked at the sight of Moscow more or less openly intervening with financial and other assistance ,in an economic dispute between English workers and employers. The coal strike paved the way to the successful Mond conference. “In Australia a majority of the La-ur leaders to-day object to and are fighting against Moscow influence. It is strange to think that Russia has an office in Australia drain which is available financial as •sistance and help in propaganda to those whose political views run on Russian lines, in the end Austrlian good sense must surely revoll against the economic waste wnich str.ke after strike has brought upon the whole community and. the strikers themselves. in New Zealand even more than in Australia this conviction has been brought home., There are few responsible Labor leaders now who retain the views as regards Moscow they may have expressed ten years ago. , After all, New Zealand labor conditions are better than any in the world. Why not therefore do as Mr. Gompers did in the Uu.ted States; fashion Trade Union policy upon the actual conditions in New Zealand rather than borrow a policV which, is based upon' and . has- arisen- out. of conditions m* Russia and the -Continent of- Europe which have never '.existed m New Zealand' and are never likely to exist here... ■’ ‘