LABOUR LEGISLATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20474, 28 January 1930, Page 9

LABOUR LEGISLATION.

RAISING WORLD STANDARDS.

ORGANISATION AT GENEVA.

INACTIVITY OF NEW ZEALAND. After spending three years ; at Geneva as the 0110 New Zealander on the staff of the International Labour Organisation, 'Mr. E. J. Riches, formerly a student of Canterbury College, arrived at Auckland by the Niagara yesterday to spend about tlirco months in the Dominion, partly on' vacation and partly in making investigations on behalf of his office. He expects - to meet a considerable number of people connected with employers' associations and trade unions.; En route to -New Zealand ho spent four months in the United States of America and a week in Honolulu. New Zealand shares with San Domingo and Ethiopia (or Abyssinia) the distinction of being the only three among the 55 members of the International Labour Organisation which have not been. represented at any of the annual conferences held since 1919, New Zealand's name also appears with those of a number of minor States in a list of members which have not ratified any of the conventions, about 30 in number, adopted at the conferences, Mr. Riches said that im this way Now Zealand was failing to take advantage of the opportunity to help in , bringing labour conditions in other countries rup ;to the high standard enjoyed here.

Frightened of Word "Labour."

"I rather'think that New Zealand'is frightened of the word 'labour' in the title of the organisation," he said. '"'But it is as much an employers' as a workers' organisation, and the balance is held by the Governments." The object of the organisation was to bring about a gradual rise in the standard of living of workers and to co-ordinate the labour legislation of the different countries. Already it had played a considerable part in improving working conditions in certain Oriental countries and in the new European States which arose after J the war. Because of the ramifications of international Jrade, New Zealand, with its high standard of living and good working conditions and labour legislation, should have a particular interest in the organisation's . efforts' to raise the standard in other countries. * Mr., Riches said that the services of the office, could be summarised as: (1) The collection . and distribution in periodical publications and special'reports of information concerning working conditions and industrial matters generally in all parts of the world; (2) the draughting of model labour legislation in conformity with the best standards in advanced countries, and the maintenance of a constant pressure on backward countries to bring their standards up to the best. In that way the International Labour Organisation, which., had been established as an offshoot of the League of Nations, Was helping, to-remove some of the major economic causes of -wiir. New Zealand's High Standard. A convention could' be'" adopted by a two-thirds majority, and then all • the member States,, whether, they, voted for It or not v had an, obligation to. submit it , for ratification or rejection by the competent legislative authority. This prevented conventions being pigeon-holed after' being passed by the conference, and was, important because of the desirability, 'for. a parallel advance of labour conditions in all"countries. " » . . : * "New Zealand labour and industrial legislation is in many instances ,already ..ia advance of the standards laid down in •the conventions, so that ratification wjatfld not involve' any change. This ' not apply in all matters,' but Riches thought-that (his by* ratification obtain the credit' fqr possessing good, labour The 1929 confer* •cricc, held in Qefober, had dealt. solely with maritime''' questions, and New Zealand could''very profitably have been, reprcFeiited because it would be to her int.ore*So to- have the standard of shipping employment in other brought nearer to the high standard existing here. On landing Mr. Riches was met by Mr. E. C. Cutten, president of the Auckland branch of the League of Nation? Union. At an afternoon gathering of the executive and members of the branch, he was officially welcomed by Mr. Cutten and by Mrs. Evans, the Dominion secretary of the union. In his response Mr. Riches outlined the working of the League of Nations at-Geneva, with particular reference to the International Labour Organisation. ■ ' : : , '"/ ;