"COMMON GOOD"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22402, 24 April 1936, Page 17

"COMMON GOOD"

GOVERNMENT'S CLAIMS BENEFITS OF LEGISLATION REPLY TO CRITICISM UNION OFFICIALS' POSITION [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday "We arc going to build our own standards in a fertile country through the efforts of a race of people who can hold their own with any other race on earth," said the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, speaking in the second reading debate on the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration 'Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives to-day. Members of the Opposition, said Mr. Savage, had complained that the bill would operate to tho detriment of employers, but he could assure them that there Ave re employers in Wellington and elsewhere who had asked for tho fixing of a minimum wage so that they could be protected from unfair competition. Employers who wished to do tho right tiling by their employees were in the majority and how could they live unless they had some protection? They were protected by customs tariffs so why could they not bo given protection by the means set out in the bill? Process of Socialisation "The Leader of the Opposition said that under the bill trade union officials would be the masters," Mr. Savage continued. "1 can assure him that they will not be going through factories and other concerns for the good of their health." Tho Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong: They will not be allowed to go into homes under this bill. The Prime Minister said the machine and the inventor had created the necessity and Parliaments were slowly falling into line. Socialisation had been going 011 for generations. The foundation had been laid and Parliament must do something about the superstructure. "We want the employers with us," added Mr. Savage, "and I think we will be successful. There is only one result we are going to work for —the common good. It is not a question of benefiting trade union officials or any other particular class, but of benefiting th*» race '' Referring to the value of individuals forming themselves into an association the Prime Minister said that principle was not confined to trade unionism. It might even include the legal profession. Mr. Armstrong: They me organising, now. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Opposition—Riccarton): Lawyers have not got a 40hour week. Mr. Savage: No, 1 think it is about a 24-hour week. However, 1 don't blame them. 1 lilt my hat to any association of individuals who will combine for the common good. "Masters ol Own Standards" "The thing that has been known as arbitration during the past few years has been anything but successful," Air. Savage continued, "and anything that will improve on that should be welcomed, even by the Opposition. This bill will help the weak against the strong and I think the Minister of Labour is going to do bigger things in the industrial world than any other Minister who ever lived. "We are going to bo masters of our own standards. Must we get our standard down to a level that will enable us to compete with industrialists of tho East?" Mr. W. J. Poison (Opposition—Stratford); Who protects 11s against that? Mr. Savage: Ourselves. Mr. Poison: The Mother Country protects us. "I did not come down in the last shower,' Mr. Savage said. "We have to stand 011 our own feet in New Zealand. We must, of course, work hand in hand with tho other countries of the British Commonwealth, but wo must be able to help ourselves and not lean against the Mother Country." "We have no intention of inflicting anything on the people of this country that they do not want, and that they are not ready to help us to carry out," said Mr. Savage. "There is a lot not in the bill that I would like to see in it, but the time will come when it will all bo there. Mr. H. G. Dickie (Opposition— Patea): Why is it not in now? The Prime Minister: Because of the human obstructions that New Zealand has been subjected to for years, and some of them come from Patea. t