INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6493, 13 April 1908, Page 6

INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATION

THE LAW TO BE AMENDED. CHANGES FORESHADOWED BY THE PREMIER. PRESS ASSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, April 11. In Fie speech at Kaitaugata last night Sir Joseph Ward dealt at some length with the arbitration and conciliation system. His remarks on the subject were very much on the lines of his Auckland speech towards the eud of last month. LEVEL WAGES.

The whole trouble under the arbitration system, he said, was that it Drought ©very man who was working for a lining under an award to a dead level. If a man was a good worker ho xmld not 'earn more than an inferior worker, with the result that the man who wanted by the exercise of his superior skill or better education to earn more than the man who was not so skilled. ocfiikl rot do so. For that reason h© considered the country wanted a more perfect system of ; arbitration and conciliation. The law required amending and improving. If they were to have no system of arbitration and conciliation in New Zealand for the workers and employers, then ’nstcad of saying rf We havo a system to eettlc difficulty between employer and employee,” let them say that though they believed the law to be a good one they should repeal it, and have done with it. Tho sooner the people discussed the matter with their ropi'escntatives •• nd among themselves the sooner would the country arrive at an improved system of arbitration and conciliation, or decide to do away with it altogether. They could not havo a law on the statute-book to prevent strikes and side by side with it have strikes going on notwithstanding the law, THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION. In the present trouble on the West Coast the Government had not interfered since the decision of tho Arbitration Court, and did not intend .to interfere. The subject was one that should not be used by any section of the community for political reasons, and tho Government did not want to get support by r ootballing a matter that was of the deepest concern to the men and women of the country. The Government was prepared to improve the system of arbitration and conciliation, though eo long os the law stood as it was at present it must be obeyed, and if either side disrespected it no one need step in and ask the Government to help. The Government would not do it, because it would be a dishonourable thing to do.