Danger of Sectional Strife In Dominion

Northern Advocate, 16 July 1948, Page 2

Danger of Sectional Strife In Dominion

DUNEDIN. Thu. (P.A.i— I The absence ! of discipline, the presence oi' narrow i loyalties and ihe spirit of disharmony | which was affecting the entire social I and economic structure of the Dominj ion. were legacies of sectional organ- | isation. said Mr W. W. Mulholland, ! past-president of the New Zealand : Federated Farmers, in an address last j night to the annual meeting of the j Otago-Southland Manufacturers' AssoI ciation. I "We have arrived at a point where j there is a real danger in the success ! of sectional organising in the communj ity.” j Mr Mulholland warned that he ; thought that the remedy for disruptive sectional struggles was for employer and worker organisations to unite ,to obtain discipline. Each organised section in the country. whether it represented employer or employee, was attempting to grasp more for itself. DANGEROUS STAGE Mr Mulholland said the stage had now been reached where there was a dangerous high-tide mark in the organisation of sections into watertight ! compartments. I Mr Mulholland deprecated any sugj gestion that the farmers of New Zealand should strike If they did. the watersiders would not need to strike—they would not I have any produce to load, and it would | take years for the country td return to i normal. j Mr Mulholland said that all sections in industry could take steps to enforce their demands by what was known as “drastic action.” Yet, a sectional organisation, if wise- | iv approached, could be of benefit to all. Collective bargaining with workers I had everything to commend it and he j would npt relish a return to the sysi tern of bargaining with an individual employee. SOME REALISE DANGER “From time to time one learns of threats that are issued if the Government will not do certain things,” Mr Mulholland said. “When any section tries to impose its will on the community and on the Government, it is time to take stock. “The attitude today in many sections of the community is to be more loyal to the organisation than to the country. > “There are some trade union leaders who realise the danger of that attitude, but they are unable to wield influence.” Mr Mulholland said that selfishness was rampant in all sectional organisations, whether they were labour or employer, and the result was bitterness. ‘The only way we can avert an organised clash between the sections.” he said, "is to place service first and relegate the reward to a secondary place.”