LABOUR IN AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19028, 27 May 1925, Page 13

LABOUR IN AUSTRALIA.

LAMENTABLE CONDITIONS. INFLUX OF COMMUNISTS. salvage; experts views. Labour conditions in Australia at tho present timo aro in a lamentable state. Dangerous labour men aro migrating from England to tho Commonwealth, and nntil that is stopped matters will go from bad to worse. This opinion was expressed by Mr. W. J. Russell, tho English salvago expert, who arrived in Auckland yesterday by the Maunganui from Sydney. Mr. Russell is head of tho firm of Russell and Son, salvago and reconditioning experts, of London, and has been in Australia in connection with tho salvaging of the City of Singapore, which was severely damaged by fire at Adelaido in April of last year. Tho vessel is now being towed to Rotterdam, where it will bo fully repaired.

"There is no harmony between Labour and Capital, and until there is things will continue to be bad in Australia, said Mr. Russell. "In no country I have visited have labour troubles been so apparently bad. The condition of affairs which produces a situation of this description, whether it be from political, labour, or capital sources, should be removed." Mr. Russell said he had examined all the principal works and it was an appalling sight for a, British shipbuilder to sec gigantic cranes spanning wharves wit&out work. In the workshops every kind of tool was to be found with expert workers to use them, but, nothing was being done. He attributed this to a lack of confidence. If. was indeed unfortunate for Australia that -while the level-headed unionists were remaining in England the hot-headed Communists were migrating, and room was being made for - them in the Commonwealth. They were, misleading the young blood and filling their heads with lalse notions. After all the Communists were only parasites on true labour. "The qualify of labour in Australia is such that with wise administration and clean leadership it would be Jirst-class," said Mr. Russell.

The trouble seemed to him to lie in the fact that there was no sound piece-work system. "It must be obvious that a system that will pay the 'rot ter' and agitator equal remuneration to that of tho conscientious worker is economically unsound," added Mr. RusselL Thero lay tho trouble with Australian labour. The agitators were being encouraged. England to-day was not yet rid of tho scourge of er«uuunism and bolshovism with which iha unions were inoculated following the armistice. However, wise and sane labour was winning out. As long as Australian labour was willing to be Jed by the nose by imported Communists, the outlook would be a bad one. Mr. Russell believes that industry will remain practically crippled until confidence is restored between employers and workers, so necessary for industrial progress.