WAR AND TRADE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16824, 7 April 1915, Page 3

WAR AND TRADE.

REPORT OF TTMPFR YARD EMPLOYEES. ,

ATTACK ON EMPLOYERS

• At the annual conf°renco of the New Zealand Federated Sawmills, Timberyards and Coalyards' Employees Union yesterday tho report of tho executive criticised both employers and tho Government in connection with tho handling of the situation following the outbreak of war. The report stated:Since the previous conference war. held the war had occurred, the greatest of all time in loss of human life and in paralysis of trade. New Zealand was fortunate in being far from the theatre of war, but had been called upon to bear her share of the conflicS, and contributions of men and money were being freely given. Tho timber milling industry was ono of th 9 first to feel tho effect of the hysteria which followed the outbreak of hostilities in Europe. Parliament and people both displayed hysteria, ana one result was an almost immediate cessation of the building industry, and the closing down of many sawmills in various parts of tho country. The posit-on jiad improved, but the industry bad not yet rocovored from tho stock. . ■ -. Almost simultaneous with the outbreak of war the Employers' Federation, ci/or on the alert to take advantage of the wage-earuing class, made an appeal to Parliament to suspend every Arbitration Court award and industrial agreement during the currency of the war, but, thanks to the presence of Labour membors in the House of Representativfis and the Legislative Council, tho designs of th* Employers' Federation were frustrated. An appeal to tho Arbitration Court to suspend the hearing of industrial disputes, however, met with suocess, and the Court hnd just decided to resume the bearing of such-cases, in spite of the strenuous opposition of the Employers' Federation. The employers, immediately after it had been shown that wages would remain stationary, put up the prices of commodities, thereby abnormally increasing tho cost of bring and reducing the effective wages of the working class. They thus proved that they were able, in many cases, to obtain more profits. than in normal times. The conference would havo an opportunity of discussing that question and expressing its opinion on the lamentable incapacity of the Government, aa shown by its failure to adequately meet tho situation.