INDUSTRIAL OUTLOOK

Northern Advocate, 3 February 1928, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL OUTLOOK

WAGES LOSS ENORMOUS,

AUSTRALIAN DISRUPTIONS,

PEACE CONCLAVE MOOTED.

(Received 9 a.m.)

I SYDNEY, February 2. * A proposal made by Mr S. M. Bruce

that a conference of the employers and employees should be held to discuss the possibility of securing industrial peace has been favourably received by the employers in New South Wales and Victoria.

Representatives of the trades unions approve the proposal in general terms but insist that nnions must be free to select their representatives at such a discussion. '

Mr Bruce declared: “What Australia wants today is not a new financial, economic or industrial policy, but peace in industry, a new industrial outlook and the spirit of co-operation between capital and management and labour. ,

“It is realised in Britain that the holding of a conference between representatives of employers and employees, which is now taking place, is the most encouraging happening of post-war days.

“While the Government floes not believe a conference to deal with our economic position would lead to practical results it is convinced that if a similar conference to that now being held in Britain could be held in Australia incalculable good would flow from it.” '

Tho latest available figures compiled by the Commonwealth Statistician show the total loss of wages from 1917 to 1926 inclusive as a result of stoppages in industry amounted to £14,488,000, an average of £1,449,000 annually.—A. and N.Z.

WORKERS’ UNIONS NEGATIVE

“POLITICAL PROPAGANDA. ’ ’

(Received 10 a.m.) HOBART, This Day.

The Australian Workers’ Union decided to have nothing to do with Mr Bruce’s proposed conference between employees and employers to bring about industrial peace, delegates to the annual conference stating that it was obviously a piece of political propaganda.—A. and N.Z.

TWO COURSES OPEN.

THE WISER ALTERNATIVE,

(Received 1.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day,

Professor Tocker, in a lecture said he welcomed Mr Bruce’s suggested round-table conference between employers and employees and the conference that had been called by the New Zealand Government as practical steps towards a solution of industrial problems. Professor Tocker said that the large organisations required by both employers and employees to fight their battles in the realm of compulsory arbitration were not only costly, but were causing a breakdown of the very system of mediation' which the Arbitration Court was designed to foster.

The community was faced with two ideals. One was the utmost freedom in industry, with both sides concentrating on production, elimination of waste, development with the greatest possible liberty and with responsibility thrown upon individuals and voluntary groups—a system which was working exceedingly -well in America.

The other ideal was perpetuation of State control, with an attempt to protect the worker, but actually to restrict and hamper industry without granting workers any real benefit, and without the Court performing any really necessary service, though by its own system of centralisation magnifying the very problems it attempted to solve.—A. and N.Z.