BETTER RELATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26197, 6 July 1946, Page 6

BETTER RELATIONS

HARMONY IN INDUSTRY NO EFFORT BY GOVERNMENT (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, July 5. The promotion of better relationships in industry was advocated by Mr T. L. Macdonald (Oppn., Mataura) during the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives to-day. He said that during the Labour Government’s period in office no effort had been made to promote harmony between employer and employee. That would probably have been too much to expect from men who had originally preached the class struggle. That attitude, he commented, could be seen in the reception of the courageous Walsh report, which would be approved by all who were capable of realising New Zealand’s problems. Proper Balance Needed Mr Macdonald said that if New Zealand was to progress everyone must do everything possible to promote better relations between employers and employees to bring about increased nroduction. They must also see that a proper balance was maintained between primary and secondary production. The present Government, unfortunately, had lost whatever confidence it had ever inspired in the farmers. In spite of what the Prime Minister. Mr P. Fraser, had said, there was still a career for many young people on the land, not under the Labour Government, but only under a Government able to bring about a proper balance between the primary and secondary industries. The Government was aware that primary industries were the foundation of the economic structure of the country. The Government had said that experience suggested that a total of about 8000 returned men w’ould seek to own farms, Mr Macdonald said, but he considered that, in fact, the number would be not less than 12,000, and the Minister of Rehabilitation, Mr C. F. Skinner would be sounder if he based his plans on that figure. The House would be grateful if the Minister would tell it what it cost to develop an economic unit for a soldier. He believed that £6OOO or £7OOO would have to be written off on the average place designed to carry 700 to 800 ewes. Settlement of Soldiers The total cost would be formidable, Mr Macdonald said, probably over £20,000,000, but that could be regarded as something connected with the war. He was concerned, however, that under present conditions development of the land by the State was far from an. economic proposition. Land settlement was a difficult feature of rehabilitation, Mr Macdonald said, and he thought it could best oe administered by a full-time paid member of the board instead of, as at present, by a member of the- House. It was not right and proper that a member of the House should be in suph an important position, which called for one who could give his full time and consideration to it.