INDUSTRIAL PEACE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 25 October 1928, Page 3

INDUSTRIAL PEACE

MUTUAL CO-OPERATION IS ESSENTIAL VOLUNTARY ARRANGEMENT ADVOCATED (By tlio Hon. T. & Weston) (Hy Telegraph—Special to "The Mail")

WELLINGTON, This Day. Emphasising the conditions that are essential if the country's returning prosperity is to grow, the Hon. T. S. Weston, M.L.C., said at the Conference of the N,Z. Employers' Federation to-day: There is one other condition, and that is industrial peace and mutual cooperation between labour, management and capital. Three years ago the economic, outlook for New' Zealand, was decidedly promising. Then the maritime strike in overseas vessels was followed by the General strike, and the six months' coal strike in England. The effects of these strikes were world-wide, and. brought heavy loss to all countries supplying the English markets. It is difficult to estimate exactly what those strikes cost New Zealand.

The first one threw (he regularity of our shipments of produce into disorder, and the other two seriously impoverished the resources of our consumers. It lias been calculated that o<ver the two seasons 1925-26 and 1926-27, these strikes by their effect upon the prices obtained for our wool, meat, butter and cheese, cost the country in tl(0 neighbourhood of £3,000,P00. Unemployment relief in New Zealand during the last two years, must hayo cost the State, local authorities, and private individuals about £1,500,000. If the £3,000,000 lost .to our producers through these disastrous, strikes had LeenTn their pockets available to be spent in improvements and other directions, hovv much less unemployment there would have been and what a saying of public, funds. We have here, a, very striking instance of the disastrous effect of labour ; troubles.

CLOSE TOUCH WITH TRADE UNION LEADERS

Personally, throughout the .last ten years 1 have alyvays argued the necessity of getting in the .closest touch with trade union leaders, and therefore welcomed the calling of the Industrial Conference. It was one of the great achievements of the present Prime Minister. We must at the same time recognise the efforts of those trade union leaders who worked to make it a success. Not only did the conference result in. a better mutual appreciation of the intentions and views of employees and employers, but.it brought the town a»rl country interests into closer touch.

You have in the annual report a review of the remedies suggested by the employers—compulsory concibation and optional .arbitration, Lalu>uv's remedy, an Industrial Council representing the workers in every class of industry was strongly urged. * Given, right leadership of Labour, and a recognition by both parties that the prosperity of an industry is dependent on both labour and capital there is a great deal to be said for the scheme.

IMMENSE POWERS

The; danger, however, is that under the scheme immense powers would be invested in a few traCe union leaders. With one big union it is not easy for the rank and file to control promptly the actions of their leaders, or to oust them when the policy they are. advocating is dangerous and uneconomical. These powers might be used for political or even for revolutionary purposes. In Australia where big unions are more the \pgue than in New Zealand Arbitration has been a faUu're. The bjg militant unions have had no respect tor Arbitration awards. One of the reasons suggested during the conference for this jyas that in Australia trade union leaders had. relied upon political action rather than upon the proper organisation of and consideration for the prosperity gf industries. .Whatever, the reason the re-. suits in Australia make one hesitate to give legislative sanction, to the scheme of one big labour union whose leaders could >f they so desired dictate to industry. A benevolent tyrant is oiie of the best of rulers, but what if he is not benevolent?

VOLUNTARY TEAM WORK At the same time so important to this country and indeed/to the British Empire is industrial peace that personally I would .be glad to co-operate with the tiade union leaders in bringing about all the results of such a scheme by voluntary arrangement. In this way the feasibility of the scheme would be tested, and its advantages and disadvantages weighed out- ..'.,.■

A|ready since the conference some good work has been' done in the prevention of industrial disputes along these hnes. Industrial peace is all important, and team work between workers' . and employers' organisations in each industry most essential. Certainly, looking back ten years, tliere has been a great and welcome change in the outlook of Labour leaders.

Ten years ago both in England and New Zealand the establishment of a Soviet republic was dreamed of as a practical possibility. For* some years Moscow was .looked upon by many Labour leaders as a spiritual borne. In England this view crashed with the failure of the general strike and subsequent coal strike. The sturdy commonsense of the majority of British workmen was shocked at the sight of Moscow more or less openly intervening with financial and other assistance in an economic dispute between English workers and employers. The coal strike paved the way to the"successful Mond Conference.

MOSCOW INFLUENCE BEING FOUGHT In Australia, a majority of the Labour leaders 10-duy object to and are fighting against Moscow influence. It is strange to think that Russia has an office in Australia from which ,is available financial assistance and help in propaganda to those whose political views run on Russian lines. In the end Australian good sense must surely revolt against the economic waste which strike after strike has brought upon the whole community and the strikers,themselves. In Ne,v' Zealand even more than in Australia this conviction has been brought homo. There are few responsible Lafcouv leaders now who retain the views as regards Moscow thev may have expressed ten years ago. After all, New Zealand labour conditions are bettei than .any in the world. Why not. therefore, do as Mr Oompers did in tiii. United States; fashion trade \mion policy upon the actual conditions in New Zealand rather than borrow a policy which is based upon : and has arisen out of conditions in Russia and the Continent of Europe which have never existed in New Zealand and are never like.v to exist here. • -