FARM LABORERS' DISPUTE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11248, 11 April 1908, Page 6

FARM LABORERS' DISPUTE.

SHORT AND SHARP DISCUSSION. QUESTION OF POLITICS. (Special to Herald.) CHRLSTCHURCH, last night. A short and sharp discussion occurred psterday m the hearing of Mr Wilfred Hall's evidence m the> farm laborers" dispute before the Conciliation Board. The witness mnder examination by Mi D. Jones, the employers' representative, jndeavoredJ to show that the motive underlying the existence of the Farm Laborers' Union and the present dispute war not a true desire to benefit the worker, but was political. He expressed the opinion, that the leaders of the movement did not believe m the Arbitration .md Conciliation Act. 'Re had a. report of a speech by Mr Thorn m connection .\vifclv the Blackball strike, m which th<? 'speaker had ejepressed -a iack of oonfidence m the Arbitration Court. •Mr Thorn: What lias this got to do with .the niatteV? I do not want v to discuss.th© .question. here at all.. I ,am r<*- : 'presenting ,tlie^ union here m. 'this., disputej'aihd -I ;-defy /any 'one to,, say that because ili " disapproye of; the. Arbitration Court '-.l Vwanfc to go' back to strikes. I arii here on. r be.half ; of v the -union because filie. Act -is in.' force, and we : ha.ye* to. work titicLer it. -It- does : not 1 matter now whether \L ap-provd of tlie ','ha.tless • brigade pr 'the- socialist paxty, or. any other fad. .-,. Mr; Hall ■said that if Mr Thorn said tlie .Arbitration. ; ; Court was no use that surely indicated his opinion as to the efficacy of ariawiud, and) was of value. The Chairman: Mr. Thorn's opinions will ' •have: nothing to d 6 with us. .■•-.-■ Mr Hall an ; reply, to ;' Mr Jones, said that what he wished- to" say was that itwas, a wonder, i if Mir; Thorn did not believe m• am- award of the. Court, tliaf he was in', the . case at all. IMr Thorn said that he had never said he ; did npt belierve' m an award. -,Tlie- Chairman.': That i& more to tlie point. •' :■ ; . . :. Mi, Jones: Have you .any evidence to prove that this .union is a. political aaid not a, lab^r organisation? ;. v Mr Hall: Xes, I have a letter from the New .Zealand Times, written, by Mr Thorn, sliQwiiig' . that, tliis agitation has been got "up from political motives. It was written. by Mr Thorn m his official capacity as secretary /of the Farm Laborers' Union, and part of the last clause reads :';■ "m conclusion let me say that the* Minister of Labor told us Borne time ago that if we want any mone progressive legislation! we; would have to. organise the country .-workers.'' The Chairman: We /don't care what! •Mr Thorn 'thinks or says. . Mr Thorn : This; union, was organised three years and a half before- Mr Millar made that, statement. This is no place to discuss politics. Mr H<a!l : We have to prove whether there is an industrial dispute of not, and this official letter declares m cold print that this is a poliutical organisation for political purposes. Mr Jones : It's a remarkable thingth.it we have- never been able yet to find a single laborer mho was present at the meeting forming the union. Ha,vo we the right to prove that this is a political organisation or not? Mr Thorn has said clearly that it is a- political organisation. Mr Thorn : It is nothiftg cf the kind. Th 9 Farmers' Union is a political body. Mr Jones : That's a. different matter. The Chairman : Th c Board is .perfectly indifferent, and will not bother about it, ' After further wrangling the Board decided not to admit the evidence.