PREMIER IN THE SOUTH

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 13 April 1908, Page 4

PREMIER IN THE SOUTH

strikes and; arbitration.

L*>Ks«B ABBOOIAIION.J ivA'XTAAGA'iA, April 12.

The Painii&f.Aluueter, at- the invitation <xf the Coal .Miners' " Union, delivered a political ' aid-dress ' '" in Kaitangata last night. He dealt' "at some length with the ar Deration and concitiation system, his remarks on the .subject being very much im the lines -of 'tis Auckland speech towa&te'the. end i>f -last rapnih. The law required amending aivl knproving. If they w&e to haye no eystom of arbitration and coiwriliation in New Zealand- for the workers vand employers, then instead of N «ayiog "We have a "system to settle difficulties between employer and. employe©," let them aay thafr though they believed the law to be a good one, they 'should repeal it aud- have done with it. The sooner that the people discussed the matter with their ' representatives' and among themselves, tbo. sooner would the country arrive at an unproved system of arbitration and conciliation or decide to do away with it altogether. They could not have a law on the Statute Book to prevent strikes and.. side by side with it have strikes going on, notwithstanding 'the law. In the! present trouble on the West^ Coast the Government had not interfered since the decision of the Arbitration Court, and did not intend to interfore. The subject 'was ono that should not be used by any section oi fche community for political reasons, and' tho Government did not wont to get support, by "footballing" a matter that was of the deepest concern to -the men. The Government was prepared £> improve the system of arbitral/ion and conciliation, though co long as the law stood as it was at present , it must b& obeyed, and if either side disrespected it, no one need step in and ask the Government to help. The Government would not do it, Because it would be a dishonorable thing to do.