THE SECRET BALLOT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15482, 13 December 1913, Page 6

THE SECRET BALLOT.

Members of Parliament on both sides of the House seem to be impressed with the strength of the safeguard against strikes provided by the secret ballot. During the debate on the Labour Disputes Investigation Bill last night, Sir Joseph Ward agreed with Mr. Massey that the secret ballot is necessary, though confident of his own ability, had the Continuous Government been still in power, to settle the existing industrial trouble by a" "heart to heart talk" with the wharf workers. The Bill was aptly described by Mr. Millar, ex-Minister for Labour—in a speech which was incidentally a strong condemnation of the strike and of the attitude of the Opposition—as the missing link in our labour legislation; Mr. Veitch's approval was scarcely less enthusiastic, and his advice to the strikers, to go back to work at once and start to organiso for next election, equally sound and wholesome. With such general approval the Bill, though it may be amended in Committee, cannot fail to pass before Parliament rises. Sir Joseph Ward complained during the debate of attacks supposed to have been made upon him for his attitude during the strike, but while he persists in maintaining that the appearance of the farmers on the waterfront was only a Governmental blundor he need not be surprised if his views and actions are not generally, approved. . In his suggested amendments to the Bill Sir Joseph Ward was equally unhappy. He professes to see a necessity for secret ballots of employers as a protection to the workers against being locked out, and even secret ballots of shareholders of employing companies, as a check on the actions of directors and managers. The first proposal could do neither good nor harm; the socond, as Mr. Millar pointed out; is impracticable, so much so as to make it open to question whether the Leader of the Opposition has not been misunderstood. . The Bill, as submitted by the Government, provides complete safeguards against the locking out of employees. Employers must give notice to the Minister for Labour before resorting to the lock-out in the same way as workers must give notice before resorting to the strike. In either case the dispute must be investigated by the Conciliation Commissioner, or a Labour Disputes Committee, or both, and if any lock-outs occurs within a week of the publication of tho recommendations for the settlement of the dispute, or at any time during the currency of an agreement, every employer so acting is to be liable to a penalty up to £500. In addition to the penalty imposed by. the Court any company manager or private employer, who unjustifiably locked out employees, would in such circumstances have to risk, in the one case the censure of shareholders, and in both the displeasure of a public fully informed of the merits of the dispute. Does Sir Joseph Ward suggest that the lock-out has become such a public danger in New Zealand as to call for stronger safeguards than are here provided 1