THE STRIKE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 970, 3 October 1890, Page 30

THE STRIKE.

Sir—A few principles appear to be evolving themselves out of the present chaos to which I, perhaps, an a student of constitutional government, may do some good in now calling attention. 1. Australasian Federation. —The strike appears to have practically brought about the federation of the workmen of these colonies. 2. Imperial Federation,.—A strong bond of union has also sprung up between the workmen of England and those of Australasia, I am glad to see these two federating tendencies, and I am ready to excuse the civil commotion which has occurred in bringing them about. 3. Labour Councils or the affiliation of Unions.—These are the practical setting up of new forms of civil government within our recognised Limited Monarchy. These Councils appear to be the root of all the present evils, and they will have to be abolished. Their leaders are liable to arrest at any moment under the common law for conspiracy to disturb the public peace. I advise the different Unions to withdraw themselws from their control and to keep rigidly each to itself. The Shipmasters’ Association first appeared to recognise the truth of this principle in refusing to affiliate with other Unions. 4. Employers’ Association.—l do not think that this Association is based upon proper constitutional lines, and it A i better alter its name to Merchants As- j sociation, or to that of any particular industrial section of the community. Capital must not band itself together s as to set aside our recognised form ( domestic government. Any trade or i ndustrial section of employers can, war ever, form its own Union as again: , Union formed by the workpeople ot section. It is not because the w people have made a mistake by ‘ ® their Unions one with the other .tn» employers should further endanger government. I propose to J° . Farmers or Woolgrowers’ Assoc myself, and to resign immediately j Union attempts to affiliate with a 1 Union. , J 5. Moderation. —The workpeop Wellington and New Zealand 8® , j are to be congratulated upon the m j , tion they have hitherto display® l “i . hope this will continue. Thu JJ 0 question is practically now a * ■ j, j volution. Britishers usually pa® B their revolutions with less bloods “ other nations. I hope this ° ne . gS passed through as good-bum ol "®, L | possible, and with as little loss possible. On the other hand, I 1 ■ Government and the Railway ..,a sioners too will remember tn upheavals occur and re-occur jt A century amongst any people, 8 , jj! . j is well to be moderate when nd 1 . ] masses of men are led astray*: .a

interference.—On no 6> sr*hcrold Parliament interfere in Parliament cannot do any thudup wil j EO ttle the question 8° od ’ 4. nnr»elve3. Our Parliaments have tothi. Colony for d °“” than 20 years past. I think the “u i« of the Australasian Parliaments, S have plunged their respective linies into debt for railway building, "Se done nothing but harm and are little fit to be trusted to mlorfere in the present dispute. V 7 The Governments. —I am delighted „i h the lesson this strike will teach all i ‘tralasian Governments, especially of Now Zealand, viz., the absurdity S T. Government being an employer of uhour The duties of a Government §«e chiefly to protect life and property v*d to preserve law and order. On no '/.account should it be an employer of labour beyond that. A statesman always throws the employment of labour upon the individual citizen. Having few abourers in its employ a Government can then be perfectly neutral, and hold the scales of Justice strictly between all classes of citizens. I am delighted that the Civil servants are forming a strong association here. The strongor they are the more quickly will the principle be seen for which I have always contended. A central government mast have very few Civil servants. The employment o'f these officers should be thrown upon the local bodies. 8. Conciliation and Arbitration. I would advise each Union to keep strictly to itself and immediately withdraw from all affiliations. At -the same time I would suggest to each of the 4 principal Municipal Councils of tn i T' Colony tho advisableness of setting aside a committee of three or five of its members to sit at any time as a Court of Arbitration, and to settle the disputes which may arise in any particular industrial section. This will simply be following the precedent set by the Municipal Council of Paris, which for years past, I believe, has Bet aside a “Cour d’Arbitration ” as it is named, which Court has done so much good in settling French trade disputes. 9. Our Railways.—l think the sooner ou? railways are sold and placed in the hands of five or six larg6 companies, each with different interests, the better it will be for the community at large. The danger then of one body of employes striking and throwing out the whole public land carriage would then be minimized. “ Divide to rule ”is usually considered a good plan. 10. The Union Steam Ship Company.— I think the Union Steam Ship Company were justified in joining the Shipowners’ Association of Australia—in the face of the fact of the seamen’s strike. If we grant the seamen of Australia a Union we must also grant the shipowners one. So with the shearers and pastoralists. The mistake has arisen of the seamen and shearers amalgamating with the Wharf Labourers’ and other Unions, and so endangering civil government. All soberminded Englishmen will at once see where this leads—this setting up of a new form of government within our grand old constitution. The public peace is disturbed, and life and property are immediately in danger. It behoves, then, all men, whether employers or employed, to rectify this mistake at once, by keeping to their respective Unions and refraining from amalgamating ; accepting the arbitration of their fellow citizens, readily and quietly as they have usually done, in any particular Union dispute. I would rather see the Union Steam Ship Company and the employers of New Zealand take the first steps in showing the workmen a good example, by refraining as much as possible from amalgamating their forces m any way whatever. The men themselves will soon see the folly of setting up a few foolish persons to guide their attain, and they will themselves withdraw roiu all future affiliations. If the present a rike teaches us only that] lesson, if the men learn it quietly and moderately as ccomes Englishmen, then will they have passed through one of the highest teachings of good constitutional erovernment, —I am, &c., Coleman Phillips, Pry River, Wairarapa, 10th September.