Hawke's Bay Herald. FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1879.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5336, 21 March 1879, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1879.

Among other causes for the present depression in trade at home, one of them is supposed to be that in some important articles of British manufacture the foreigner has the advantage of cheaper rates of production. First, it is said, that the longer hours of work of the foreign workman not alone gives more, labor to the employer but also enables him to get more out of his plant and machinery. Then, it is averred, that the foreigner is more skilful, more deft and apt at his work, than the Englishman, and that this, which if true, is undoubtedly an advantage to the employer, favors the foreign manufacturer in competing with his British rival Mr Forster referred to these allegations in his speech at Bradford, and expressed his dissent from them, still he' thought they should be investigated, if only to set at rest the doubts as to the relative skill of the English and the foreign workman. He admitted that the foreign workman worked longer hours, but he doubted whether that was really an advantage to the employer, even considering how much more was thereby got out of the plant and machinery. . " I am an old ten hours man," he said ; " I was one of a small body of manufacturers who from the first supported a Ten E[ours Bill. I should have., voted in favor of a Nine Hours Bill also if I was convinced in my own mind that it was a right thing to give, and I am not convinced yet that there have been any arguments which show that it ought not to have been given, but I do think that the matter ought to be carefully argued and considered." Mr Forster puts it that even granting that the extra number of lioau'S the foreign workman devotes to his labor .occasions a loss to the B.ritish manufacturer, there remains the question whether there are not compensating advantages which more than make up for the loss, seeing thatit may be that the foreign workmen are being worked to an extent which ! may wear out their energy and health, and so in the long run entailing a loss pecuniarily as ■ well as socially. The proposal Mr Forster made for investigating the questions in connec- . tion with foreign and British labor, was that each of the trades unions and principal industries of England should appoint one of their best men, and that the employers engaged in the same industries should also each appoint a man in whom they have confidence, 'to form together a commission to discuss the matter and to institute inquiries. "If it should turn out," he said, " that our trade can only be kept by working long hours, my belief is that work-people would at once give way, and take to them. I am not at all sure that it would be proved so ; my expectation is that it would not, but I feel sure that if it were proved, the English workmen would take to them." Mr Forster, with tlif t practical good sense for which he is remarkable, has here hit the right nail on the head. It may possibly be that British manufactures are being handicapped by the longer hours of work on the Continent, or by the greater efficiency of the workmen ; in either case it is important to ascertain the fact as a preliminary to applying a remedy. It is perhaps more than probable that the result of the inquiry would show that the Continental manufacturer derives no advantage from the long hours of employment to which the workmen are subjected, and that the workmen are not more skilful than those in England. The gain then would be that the ground being cleared of those alleged causes for the depression in the British manufacturing trade, it will be easier to search for those which are really at the root of the present unfortunate position of that important interest, and pei'haps also the application of a remedy will be* facilitated. Where Mr Forster's admirable tact was shown, most was in enlisting the working men themselves in his proposed investigation. If success can be at all attained in grappling with the manufacturin difficulty, it will be best promoted by workmen and employers uniting together, and making one common cause of the matter. When the workmen shall have themselves ascertained that work is more costly in England than on the Continent, they will see the necessity for reducing the cost, and by yielding something themselves they will induce the employers to make some sacrifice also, and by the united effort the desired end will, we may hope; be achieved.