INTOLERABLE BURDEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23302, 21 September 1937, Page 7

INTOLERABLE BURDEN

TAXATION AND LABOUR COSTS GENEVA DELEGATE’S VIEW VOLUNTARY ARBITRATION FAVOURED # <Pek United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Sept. 20. “ I am of the opinion that it will be little short of a miracle if New Zealand industry is able to carry on successfully under the burden of increased labour costs and taxation imposed by the present Government,” said Mr W. E. Anderson, secretary of the Auckland Employers’ Association, after his return by the Aorangi from the International Labour Conference at Geneva.

He said it would be unfitting to discuss the business dealt with at the conference until he had reported to the Government and to the New Zealand Employers’ Federation. The organisation consisted of 62 countries, 53 being represented at the conference. There were 101 Government delegates and 97 advisers, 38 employers’ delegates and 73 advisers, and 36 workers’ delegates and 85 advisers. “I was strongly confirmed in the opinion that the most satisfactory industrial relations exist in those countries where the employers and the workers concerned accept the responsibility of deciding what the conditions of employment shall be, and negotiate agreements giving effect to these without the assistance of a third party, as is the case in New Zealand. It is to be regretted that the Government did not give the scheme of compulsory conciliation and voluntary arbitration, which was introduced in 1932, a further few years of trial.”