LABOR AND EMPLOYERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16492, 9 November 1927, Page 2

LABOR AND EMPLOYERS

OPPOSITION TO 1.0. AND A. BILL COLLUSION DENIED (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, lust night. An allegation .that a meeting had been held recently between the Alliance of Labor ami the Employers’ Federation, with a view to defeating the Arbitration Amendment Bill, was made bv Mr. J. G. Eliott, M.P., in his evidence before the Labor Bills Committee of the House to-day. Mr. Eliott stated that Mr. Bishop, secretary to the Federation, had strosshis opposition to the measure, but had not placed before'the committee the fact that .the shipping and freezing companies were in favor of the nmend--4 ment. “I want the farmers to '-know,” declared Mr. Eliott, “that last week a meeting was held botween the representatives of the Alliance of Labor and the Employers’ Federation to defeat. thjs Bill, and it appears to me that the Employers’ Federation, which is composed principally of manufacturers and merchants, is linking up with Labor to defeat the aims, objects and aspirations of the farmers.” The chairman, Sir John Luke: “Do you seriously make this statement 1 ?” Witness: “I do seriously mahe the

statement that last, week a committee of tho Advisory Board received a deputation from the Alliance of Labor on the subject of the Arbitration Act, amendment. Messrs A. R. Partridge, : G. W. Morgan, J. F. Cousins, W. Simm, If. Mainland, A. Seed, F. N. Sanderson, F. J. Ballinger and R. M. Griffiths • represented the Federation, and Messrs .J. Roberts. R. Semple, A. Bromley and A. Cook the Alliance of Labor.” Mr. Walter Nash, secretary- of the ■New Zealand Labor Party, said it was quite true that a deputation from the ; Labor . Conference, which had been held last week to consider the Arbitration Act, had waited upon the Employers’ Federation and asked that : body what attitude it intended to •; take with regard to the Industrial % Conciliation aiitL Arbitration Act. “This conference,” said Mr. Nash, '•p “might be misinterpreted, but I am lev certain that there wns no question of || Labor ranging itself with the em> §£ plovers for the purpose of defeating A tho Arbitration Amendment Act and % tho objections of farmers, as alleged • by Mr. Eliott.V i;i i ".Regarding Mr. Eliott’s remarks, the pi Hon. T. Sliailer Weston, president of fd the New Zealand Employers’ FcderaI tion; emphatically ridiculed the suggestion that there was any collusion ’■ ■between employers and Labor to dev: feat the Bill, although he admits tho !. Labor Party waited- on the employers to explain tho action they intended to take. § .