AMERICA LAGGING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23595, 3 September 1938, Page 14

AMERICA LAGGING

INDUSTRIAL LEGISLATION GROWTH OF COMMUNISM TASMANIAN MINISTER'S VIEWS (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, Sept. 2. "America is a wonderful country, but the Americans have a lot to learn from Australia and New Zeaiand in industrial legislation and in stabilising industry," said Mr T. D'Alton, Minister of Transport of Tasmania, who arrived from the United States by the Monterey. Mr D'Alton, who is accompanied by Mrs D'Alton, was a through passenger on his way tc Melbourne after a world tour. "It is amazing that America is so far behind in this respect; they have not even reached .he teething stage," Mr D'Alton continued "The fight on now between the unions and capitalism is not going to do either any good. By the Government not recognising unionism. Communism has crept in. L. is being bred, and the outlook is not good, either for capital or for the industrial organisations." Mr D'Alton said that there had been serious industrial trouble in the United States, and quite a few of the organisation leaders had Keen shot. "America has to learn from us in industrial legislation and make it general throughout the United States." he added. The best means of solving the present difficulties would probably be a system of arbitration along Australian and New Zealand lines, with an Arbitration Court to decide the points of difference between the employers and employees. Referring briefly to Tasmania. Mr D'Alton said the country generally was in a good condition, but the railway system was a source of great expense. Previous Governments had made no provision for replacements. Roads had been made parallel with railways, resulting in heavy road competition, and the loss on the railways had been terrific, an average of £400.000 a year being required to cover renewals and railway losses.