N. Z. LABOUR POM HON

Grey River Argus, 31 December 1920, Page 6

N. Z. LABOUR POM HO N

MR HOWARD'S VIEW. OHBXSTCHUKCH, December" 29. "Let us look at industry, not as a science apart, but as a vital function jof communal life," said Mr E. J. Howard, M.f.-, (guodifig Cole), when asked by a press representative for a review of the Labour year. . How has Labour fared during the year 1920? Well, if one was, to begin 'at the. end Mtv the young lady with her first love-letter and Work back, one could say that Labour has been the victim of a sad mistake. Taking the year right through Labour in New Zealand was getting on very fairly. Wages had risen front 1/0 for general laboiir.ers to 2/- pet hour. All wages arc calculated from the labourers, so that all other trades had risen accordingly. Work has been plentiful, arid there is a tendcMy ©n the part of the employ- . ers to meet theif trsrkcrs around the table and to discuss things in a more friendly spirit. As an example, the wool ftjitl wheat store owners in the early part of {lie year, suggested the setting tip of a jjoiflt committee, that could bti called ifoget&er to discuss the increase in the cost of living, «rind to adjust the wages accordingly, This has worked splendidly. From a psychological point of view nothing could be better. Employe? and employee are on good terms, the wof k goes with a swing, and from every point of view it has proved a success. The same spirit seetnH to have animated the building industry, and there again things have run Jllbiig smoothly and comfortably. Then the Workers' Com-, pensation. Act has been improved. The maximum of compensation has been raised from £500 to £750. Accident pay is to commence after three days' sickness and the weekly Pick pay is raised from 50 per cent, to 55 per cent, of the weekly earnings. Then the Shops and Offices Act has- been amended in the direction of altering the number of working hours from 62 to 48, md also giving the Arbitration Court power to fix the closing hours of " all shops in an industrial district. "Summed up then — locally, work has been plentiful, wages were being adjusted according to the Tise in the cost of living and everything was working along smoothly until the Arbitration Court came along and made the gre'at3St mistake that it could possibly make. It listened to the workers' .representatives. It examined the cost of living barometer and awarded a 9/- bonus. Then, apparently, the Court, became-af-raid of its owii judgment and announced it was open to review its own findings. And it did review its own judgment and cut the bonus down to }/-• And the consequence is all the old bitterness has been revived *md we end the year with a common feeling in the Tanks of Labour, that it has been cheated and robbed by back* door methods. And so Labour feels bitter and rebellious. It's a pity, but there it is."