STRIKE RECORD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 13 April 1922, Page 5

STRIKE RECORD.

YEARLY WAGE LOSSES

OVlfiß, £90,000 LAST YKAR

{Special to the Star)

WELLINGTON, April 12. In the early days of the Industrial Conciliation, and Arbitration Act, an enthusiastic visitor who came to observe its operation referred to New Zealand as "a country without strikes." Experience has shown that conciliation methods have not altogether stopped strike trouble, but compared with other countries New Zealand seems to show a fairly moderate record of losses, though the statistics are on the iip grade. The record of industrial disturbances for 1921 shows that there were 77 outbreaks, only two—coalmining and cargo working—being important. These two industries had 9676 workers idle at some period during the, year owing to strikes, I the total number of workers; affected in all disputes being 10,433. ' The average duration of trouble was slightly under *en and the total losses amounted to £90,332.

lhe previous year's losses in wages through strikes was £40,423, so that it is evident that the difficulties of the economic position became reflected in the labour situation of last year. When times were booming, increases in pay especially on the waterfront in the handling products carrying a : high price, were readily granted, but the pinch has come, and with it some increasing friction in the industrial sphere. In 1920 the wage losses through strikes m the mining industry amounted to more than three-quarters of the whole sum. The 1920 strike figures were unusually large for New Zealand owing to the fact that such a large proportion of the railway staff went off duty tor a few days. Last year's total ot over ten thousand men affected by imo was * hmvever < the record since IJld, when the waterside dispute sent the totals of men affected during that year to 13,400.