LIBERAL VIEW OF STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18708, 14 May 1924, Page 12

LIBERAL VIEW OF STRIKE.

MR. MASTERS' EXPOSITION.

MINISTER'S ACTION APPLAUDED.

[BY, TELEGRAPH. — ASSOCIATION.J , • - STBATFORD, Tuesday, An address; was given - in the ' Town Raillast evening . by' Mr. E. Masters, member for Stratford and a member ' of the executive, of the Liberal Party. He generally ■ criticised the Government's administration and finance, and dealt especially with railway's and the recent strike, Mr. : Masters said: : the Liberal Party was \ opposed - to ■ strike , method?, . and would not tolerate direct action. • The only proper > procedure was for employer and employoo to have their- differences settled in ..a constitutional manner by arbitration ,or conciliation. .■ Whore Mr. Seddon ; stood in 1894 with' regard to strikes the : Liberal : Party stood •in 1924. Unfortunately both : Labour . Party and Reform Party had ; taken advantage of the late I strike for political purposes, find the reap issue from the Outset 1 was obscured, while claims. and counter-claims ■ were clouded ?by political ; propaganda. Y The railway ifc employees ' became : v merely pawns 'in < • the . game. The ? railwaymen's representatives \at : ' the - conference had not shown 'mature judgment and had acted in a hasty manner, without th« serious thought that was due: to tho men they represented - and the" ' public of Now Zealand " No /self-respecting; . man could have acted otherwise . than ihe Minister for Railways had done in rejecting the ultimatum : given, Mr. Masters- contended every man was entitled to a wage that would enable him to kepp his family in comfort,: that would provide his 1 children with good education, and make him something more than i a chattel for his employer. In 1921, MiMasters said, the same General Manager and the same Government .granted th» second division a 44-hours i week. - Now when the net earnings of the ' railways wer o higher than they were when 5; the reduction in hours was granted, th® • Minister had reversed his former decision ! and demanded that the railwaymen should work. 48 hours. _ The Minister : made a statement that if the men went back to 48 hours he . did not propose . to dispense with the services of any of them. It wan therefore proposed to work four hours a week more, not to do any more work, and they would, be paid. £168,146 per! | annum for having their' work spread over j a oncer period.: ( Mr. Masters concluded by saying that the Liberal Party represented neither th«> j extreme of public or political opinion. It i stood for settling- ajl industrial trouble in' regard ;to wages by arbitration and con- j J ciliation," and the conduct: of the railways by proper business methods without waste'' I and extravagance. •/. ' ■ •'Vs.':*'.y _ Soldier settlement was severely criticised by Mr. Masters, who stated'that on a settlement ofV 15,000 acres •at Wliangamomona not a soldier remained.' A motion approving of the Liberal Party's policy of -appointing a permanent board in connection with railway administration was carried unanimously, and also a vote of thanks and confidence ; in Mr. Masters as representative of. Stratford.