FARM LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13839, 27 August 1908, Page 6

FARM LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

THE COURT'S DECISION.

"A COMPLETE SURPRISE."

fBT TELEGRAPH.—OWV CORRESPONDENT.]

Dunedin Wednesday. The secretary of the Otago Trades and Labour Council (Ml. P. Breen) stated to a representative of the Tiroes that the decision of the Arbitration Court in the farm labourers' dispute came as a complete surprise to him. While he had grave doubts of the Court being able to make an award which would be entirely satisfactory to the farm labourers, he never doubted for a moment that an attempt would be made to regulate conditions of country workers. The Court apparently recognised that the conditions of these- workers were not satisfactory, as witness the recommendation to all fanners. It the conditions were satisfactory, this condition would be unnecessary, and if it was necessary, why was it not embodied in,an award? It would then have been of some value, but as it was, it was not worth the paper it was written on-

The position, he continued, was unique in the history of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and he knew of only one other case where the Court failed to make an award in a dispute referred to it for settlement. The reasons given in that case, however, wore totally different irom the present one. Mr. Breen said he was a stron b believer in the Act as a means of settling disputes, as he was perfectly satisfied it had been instrumental in improving the conditions of a large section of the workers of the Dominion. He did not approve of anything in the nature of a strike, as he considered that when a union submitted its case to the Court, it should loyally abide bj the award given, but if the farm labourers in Canterbury went out ou etrik. to-monw. lie would support them to the utmost of his power, and he honestly believed the men would receive the sympathy and financial support of every union of workers in the Dominion, He considered the decision of the Court was unjust. The victory oi the farmers, he said, would no doubt serve to encourage city employers to persevere and to go in for a series of revival meetings. They could then introduce the old. old storv. which had proved the salvation of farmers, and if they told the stoiy often enough it might reach the ears of a very sympathetic Court, and then, to use the words of Mr. H. D. Ackland, it would be another great victory. and a triumph for the employers of the Dominion, and. perhaps, the downfall of unionism.