A VISITOR FROM AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13355, 8 December 1906, Page 8

A VISITOR FROM AUSTRALIA.

INTERESTING INTERTIKW.

LABOUR DISPUTES.

NEW ZEALAND'S TRADE PROSPECTS:

; [by telegraph;—own correspondent]

Wellington. Friday.

Mr. Rknp.v Bkowx, who is a prominent man in the mining world of Australia, is j,t- present in Wellington, and has given a representative of the Post an interesting interview. ■' ..; . - • .■;.'• '"

Questioned about' the recent trouble among Australian miners. Mr. Brown said that the men" were demanding an increase of wages, and rather than goto the Arbitration Court they settled the matter by conference with the employers. , Thus one .of the' greatest strikes ever threatened in Australia was averted. "So far as the mines are concerned the men, as well as the proprietors, have lost all; confidence in the Arbitration Court," commented Mr. Btown.

- : ' "How is it that when the men are not pleased with an award the employers are displeased?" the pressman asked.

"'lf the award does not suit the men they won't carry it" out," answered the visitor. ,'.' They give fourteen days' notice and leave. They will take all the good and they won't rtake any of the bad. It is all right with them so long as the wages 'are going up. I have always. contended this, if experienced people can't settle .-."disputes . how can they >bo fixed up by members of a court -who have never cut.- a pound of coal in their lives'''' Mr. Brown remarked that, when he visited Westport a couple of years ago he noticed that; the fillers could load twenty tons ; a day per man, against- twenty-live in. America, and ten to fifteen in Australia, and the men had better advantages in the Commonwealth. They reckon they will do a ■ certain amount in a' day and no more, declared the employer. If we could onlyget them to do what, the- New Zealanders do we would be perfectly satisfied. The fact is they want to try and get rid of machinery.'- That has been the trouble all through. In fact they want to go from progress to slavery.

Mr. Brown "said he. believed legislation was becoming too socialistic in Australia. "You don't see English capital coming into the country, but you see. people going out. You have only to look at your own colony. See the amount of money locked up on account of the Arbitration Act."' , ■

;•" The' people seem to worry along somehow," hazarded the journalist, remembering statements about the recent fat years. .

' " Here you have a, good country and ja, fine climate," ■ retorted the visitor. ;: " You have had the benefit of Australia's droughts. If ; Australia gets two or three good seasons you will begin-to feel the pinch. < Then the harvest times have not been good in England for the last three or four years, and that helped you also: You had .some wars —the South African, American, and Japanese—and now that these are finished you 'have only .one market:—England. It remains* to be seen what you are- going to do with it. Australia has now the, best season she has had for fifteen years, and she will be bidding for English market. I think ■New Zealand is now at-her top."