UNKNOWN.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 1, 3 January 1910, Page 8

UNKNOWN.

VIEWS OF MR WADE

THE NEW STRIKE LAW

[PiVESb &BSOC:ATiON.J

AUCKLAND, Jan. 3. Mr Wade, Premier of New South Wales, , arrived in Auckland yesterday. Interviewed, he explained the provisions of' the new strike law just put through tho State Assembly. A section of the workers, he says^ persistently refused to observe the conditions' of the Disputes Act, and have : •endeavoured to assert the supremacy of the iinions over the State law. The! industrial upheavals of the last twoj years were engineered by a* few men j with fluent tongues. When, the New- ] castle strike occurred the. Govern-; ment decided that some. more stringent method must be adopted to prevent a few loud-tongued agitators from laying the whole country by the ears just to satisfy their personal vanity. It therefore decided to make the punishment for instigating a strike^ore severe. Any person*so instigating may now be summarily sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment without the option. The provisions as to the main body of the strikers are left untouched, as it is felt that? in most cases they are more sinned against than sinning,, and are swayed' by the declamations of agitators. It is now impossible to hold strike meetings. A union deciding to strike must do so by secret ballot. There is therefore no longer, need;-. to ;fear, being called "scabs" if voting against a strike. The damage to New South Wales, Mr Wade says, is incalculable. It will be years before Newcastle regains her overseas trade. Even when the strike ends it is doubtful if "the mines can afford again to employ the full number of miners.

Mr Wade's visit to the Dominion is principally a health-seeking tour, but he will inquir© into the more important legislation, including "licensing, racing, and closer settlement laws. He wants to see for himself the results oi: prohibition in the prohibited areas, and also to inquire into the working of the totalisator, and whether the progressive land tax is assisting to burst up large estates.