The Otago Witness WITH WHICH IS INCORPARATED THE SOUTHERN MEMROURY. (TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1921.) THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 35

The Otago Witness WITH WHICH IS INCORPARATED THE SOUTHERN MEMROURY. (TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1921.) THE WEEK.

"Nunqnam aliud natura, aliud aapientla dliit.* —JUTEHAI,. "Good nature and good sense must ©rer ><du."—■ Poi'U.

Industrial Unrest.

It would appear that the hopes that the year 1921 would be one of

industrial peace are not likely to bo fully realised.

Australia has two strikes on | her hands, and there are indications of ' serious trouble in the Dominion likely to i arise from the dispute at the Blackball | Co.’s Coal Mine on tiie West Coast. The stewards’ strike in Australia, which is j paralysing passenger traffic by steamers, I has now lasted for over a month, while ] the strike of railwaymen in Western Aus- ! tralia commenced with the new year. In ! the case of the Blackball Mine the dispute j seems likely to come to a head this week ! unless some means are devised to aveit j trouble. Each of the conflicts has special I features. The stewards’ strike, which. | it is feared is sure to eventually spread to New Zealand, is virtually against an j Arbitration Court award; the railway j strike is a. challenge to the authority of j constitutional government, and the Black- ; ball dispute is aimed at the right of an I employer to discharge a man for use of j bad language to an overseer, who, with 1 the other deputies of the mine, will not 1 continue their duties if this man is rem-

stated. The Arbitration Court, after full consideration, awarded the stewards a tenhour day at sea, to be worked within 15 hours. The stewards were dissatisfied with this, and after some negotiations the ship owners made an offer of an eighthour day at sea, to be worked within 15 hours. The stewards demanded an eignthour day within a stretch of hours, between 6.30 a.m. and 8 p.m., with full overtime outside those hours in excess of eight. The offer of the employers was rejected and was withdrawn, the shipowners being evidently convinced that the stewards desire a strike and that further parley would be useless. The strike in Western Australia was in the first instance in furtherance of a demand for a sevenhour day, with a wage of 25s for locomotive drivers, 20s for firemen, 16s for cleaners, with large advances in pay tor night work, and 50 per cent, increase for all overtime worked beyond eight hours in any one day. The demands were refused on" the ground that they were excessive, and the strike w-as called. The strike leaders truculently declared that the railways would not be run under the Commissioners during the strike, but that the Disputes Committee would take charge. The proposed experiment in Bolshevism failed to arouse the sympathy of the Government, and its uncompromising attitude has caused the men to reconsider the position and put an end to the strike.

Has Arbitration Failed?

The action of the stewards in Australia in flouting the award of the

Arbitration Court seems to be indeiensible. Mr Ju'Mce

Higgins, the president of the court, has always been sympathetic towards the aspirations of labour. He has pointed out that unions must not expect to win all possible advantages from Arbitration, and when not entirely successful wantonly throw aside everything in an award which displeased them. There are those in Australia and New Zealand who would wek me the end of Arbitration in labour disputes, quite ignoring the advantages conferred on wage earners under the system. Such a consummation might possibly improve the status for a time of a few leaders who crave for notoriety, but it would most certainly he disadvantageous to thousands of workers. Those opposed to Arbitration contend that, if done away with, unions would be forced to “scientifically” organise into one big union. That would mean considerably increased power for a small number of men, some of whom at present aspire to dictatorship. The strike would then become a weapon by which all individual demands would be enforced. It ■would necessarily be accompanied by the lockout, and industrial unrest would be sure to increase under such conditions. Industrial dislocation is not in the interests of the workers, and is harmful to the community. The best interests of all are conserved by the peaceful development of industry and tho co-operation of labour and capital. It will be noted with interest that some of the most thoughtful and earnest labour leaders in Britain are becoming tired of the strike weapon, as they fully realise ts futility. This is a hopeful sign, and should eventually have influence in the Dominion and Australia. In the meantime there is a likelihood that an attempt will be made to use for propaganda purposes the dissatisfaction arising out of the unfortunate mistake in connection with the bonus allotment. The Bolshevists are sure to make use of the * belief of the dreamers and unthinking that there is 1 inexhaustible fund, out of which increased wages can be paid, whereas their aim is to make a raid on the capital behind the real profits and thus bring about the chaos they are iming at. Wages and conditions of labour are at present good, and any large increase in the remuneration of the wage earners will simply add to the burden on the hacks of the community at large. In the present state of finance and industry in the Dominion peaceful development is all important if we are to escape unemployment and its attendant evils, and everything in the nature of industrial strife should he discouraged.