BURDENS OF INDUSTRY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 14 October 1927, Page 9

BURDENS OF INDUSTRY.

NATIONAL INCOME REDUCED. ___ 1 NEED FOR MORE PRODUCTION STRESSED. (BY TELEGEAPH-PB.EBR ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 13. The annual meeting of the Nriw Zealand Employers’ Federation was held to-day. The president, the Hon. T. Sabiler Weston, M.L.C., was in the chair, and delegates were present from all parts of New Zealand, representing all main industries, etc. The annual report, which was adopted, stated: “The twenty-fifth year of the life of the federation had not been a happy one for those upon whose shoulders falls the burden of carrying on the industries. Great as was the drop in exuort values for the year ended July, 1926, as compared with the yean' ended July, 1925. the values for the year ended July, 1927, showed a further drop of nearly £2,000.000. t ‘Tlie reduction of o-ur national income though not unforeseen, came so suddenly that we were caught unprepared. For the first year of the reduction our imports exceeded the exports by approximately £4,000,000. For the veaV now under review the excess was' £1,250.000. The painful process of adjustment of expenditure had therefore to be faced, and consequenty a lean year for _ all employers has been experienced with more uinemployment for the workers than New Zealand has known for many years. “After all, deflation has been long overdue and the return two years ago to the gold standard by the- British Empire- inevitably entailed lower proprofits, both net and gross. Moreover, labour disputes have made the process of adjustment more difficult. Tli-e shipping strike in New Zealand and Australia and the coal strike in England caused h/3avy losses to the farmers of those- countries and threw the machinery for supplying the English market by carefully graduated -shipments, hopelessly out of gear. Certainly the main cause of unemployment in this Dominion, though not the only cause, was these two strikes. “There are encouraging signs that the country is actively preparing to make up for lower prices bv increased production. In -some industries, -as for instance, dairying, the increase already achieved is .substantial. The- farmers are facing the situation with courage and putting forth their best -efforts “Accompanying the fall in export prices there. has been a fall in the prices of many manufactured lines which compete- with the- locally-made 'roods, and the secondary' industries ba-ve suffered along with the- primary. Fortunately the year has been free from any prolonged labour troubles, although there have been some short stoppages in connection witli coal minmcr and waterside work. So far the labour unions ha-ve continued when the awards expire- -to- present- extravagant demands, not o-n-ly for increased wages but for shorter hours and other conditions which, if granted, could result only in increased costs. In most oases during the year such demands have been withdrawn in the Conciliation Council and settlements -have been arrived at practically on the lines of the old award. There is certainly no justi float ion for seeking new awards at. all. In most cases the worker who hs wise is -satisfied to- hold w-h-at he- has. “Unless labour and management unite in stimulating production, money wages will tend to- fall. In certain directions'' labour should make concessions. In many industries shift, work and overtime work are essential and cannot be avoided. The principle o-f the eight-hour day is established and no one wants a man to work more than eight -hours a day without extra payment, but a new principle has crept into many’ awards that* all work done o-utside of hours between S a.m. and 5 p.m. must be paid for at overtime rates. In these cases, if a- man commences v'ork at 6 p.m. and works, an eight-hour shift, -he must be paid time and a- half till 10 p.m. a-nd double time from 10 p.m. till 2 a.m. In the ease of waterside work, the time rate being 2s 4d -an hour, if a man is required to start at 5 a.m. he would have to be paid 4s 8d an hour until t a.m. “Shift work is worth a- little extra as compared with all day work, but is not worth what is no.w being paid. _ Overtime- payments have become quite unreasonable and they add enormously to the cost of many essential services. The elimination of wasteful expenditure in this and similar matters would help to- provide more- employment. “We believe that the employers are doing their utmost in accordance with the policy of this federation to- attain the maximum efficiency in their methods, but the co-operation of labour is •essential if the best results are to be obtained. The unions must- play their part in helping conditions, or else they must accept responsibility for declining trade and continued unemployment.'' The following were elected officers: President, the Hon. T. Shader Weston, M.L.G.; vic-president, Mr A. C. Mitchell; treasurer, Mr H. Cou-11; executive, the presidents of the Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago- Associations, and Messrs C. W. Wood representing other associations), v\. MriLiay, W. Reece and J. Milne (representing -affiliated organisations); trustees. Messrs B. H. Miles, T. Ballinger, W. 11. Bennett, and Dr. C. P. Knight; auditor, Mr. W. C. Stephens, F.P.A.N.Z.