SOME LABOUR POINTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11825, 30 November 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

SOME LABOUR POINTS.

VIEWS OF MR. TOM MANN. [from our own correspondent.] London, October 18. "I Ail quite fascinated with the New Zealand system of compulsory arbitration,' said Mr. Tom Mann to me a few days ago. Its method goes somewhat beyond what j I proposed some time ago, so I am justified in feeling more sanguine than I did formerI ly as to some satisfactory mode of compulsory arbitration in labour disputes being | widely adopted." | " What was the nature of your own. | former proposals'.'" t j "In 1891," said Mr. Mann, "I advocatj ed the formation of a Labour Department in Great Britain with expertspaid or not ; —whose duty it should be to be cognisant I of all industrial matters, and who should . hold themselves in readiness to receive over- j J Lures from either side. I did not urge i I direct interference unless solicited by one j party or the other. But when their action j | should be sought I would have had an of- ; j ficial inquiry • made, would have had the I facts published in order to develop public opinion, and then 1 would proceed to com- j pulsory arbitration between the disputants. "At the present time," continued Mr. : Mann, " I am president of the International ! Transport Workers' Federation. One of our . objects is to establish a similar standard of j remuneration in each country for the same work. What I mean is that the standard of remuneration should be based upon its purchasing power. I do not mean, for instance, that an English shilling should be taken as equal to a German mark. What I hold is that the remuneration of labour in each country should be relative to the purchasing power of the. sum paid. That is the only fair and just standard. "I have been met with the contention that it is preposterous to ask for a higher rate of wages to be paid in the port of London while other large ports, such as Hamburg, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Havre, etc., work at a much lower rate. That argu.ment is often not quite genuine. But it suits us to accept it,' because we can make it a basis upon which to operate. Some employers say they do not mind what wages they pay. provided they are not handicapped in the competition with other ports, through the latter being able to obtain their labour more cheaply. Therefore this International Transport Federation has been established, and has now been in existence five years, to endeavour to get matters placed on a more uniform and equitable footing. The Scandinavian workmen are a very careful and steady and industrious lot, and j their competition through their willingness I to work at very low rates was becoming a .serious cause of trouble. .Swedes and Norwegians and Danes were willing to work at about 3J,d per hour. But now, through this organisation, their pay has been raised to a minimum of 6Jd per hour, or nearly double. j What increased the difficulty was that so many men drifted from Che timber districts to the ports and worked there. Their wages still remain about £1 a month less than the British standard, but the increase in the rate of pay has greatly lessened the keenness of the competition.

! " I entirely agree with the New Zealand ' ' method," concluded Mi*. Mann, "so far as it ' goes, and it is clear to me that it has served " | the purposes of New Zealand very well. ' i Yet it seems to me that its very success has ! resulted in sectionalism of action rather 1 than the internationalism which lam trying ; ''j to promote. The New Zealand system is j " i excellent for yew Zealand, but I should 1 , like to see a plan adopted that would ex- ; j tend its benefits still more widely, as we in our federations are trying to do." Mr. Mann tells me that lie is still thinki | ing of settling in New Zealand, with his . 1 family, and that he expects to arrive in the . j colony some time next year. 1 m