ARBITRATION SYSTEM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16612, 30 March 1928, Page 12

ARBITRATION SYSTEM

FARMERS’ OPINIONS SOURCE* OF TROUBLE INDUSTRIAL CONFIDENCE CONTINUED (Var Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. The National Industrial Conference had a full day to-day. The debate on the papers submitted by economist's having concluded, tho professors replied to the points raised. A lengthy paper setting out tho views of the New Zealand Farmers' Union and pointing to directions in which tne present arbitration system might be overhauled was presented by the president., Mr. W. J. Poison, following which papers were delivered by Mr. W. Nash, on behalfg of the delegation representing the workers, and by Mr. H. D. Acland, on behalf of the New Zealand Shcopowners and Farmers’ Federation. An agreement was arrived at in the first matter and regarding the second a report will be furnished by the Parliamentary Committee to-morrow morning. It was decided that the conference adjourn tomorrow night until April 18, the personnel of the committees to be announced before tho rising. The substitution of a system of voluntary arbitration for tho compulsory clauses of the present Act was suggested in the paper delivered by Mr. 11. D. Acland,- president of .the New Zealand Shcopowners. and Farmers’ Federation. NOT OPPOSED TO ARBITRATION “I wish to stress the fact that my federation is not now, nor over has been, opposed to arbitration in cases of industrial or any other disputes, but we have steadfastly refused to admit the soundness of the underlying principle of tho present Act, .which provides for the compulsory fixation of conditions in industry and costs of production by a tribunal clothed with statutory authority and under which in actual practice, compulsion can be enforced on one party only,” he said. “The unfortunate results of the application of this unsound principle have,” he continued, “been increasingly apparent to us over a long period of years, and tho cumulative effect of the complete fixation of production costs, irrespective of the selling value of the product of tho labor, is to throw out of balance our whole economic system, primary producers having gradually lost, that margin of profit and security of position which was available to them in pre-war days, and as practically the whole of our national income comes from the land, it will bo obvious that this question must be dealt with in tho interests of tho whole community. “We have been made to realise that the main source of this trouble is this same fixation of costs of production within tho Dominion, without moans having been devised for meeting that cost on tho markets available overseas or for tho maintenance of a sufficiently high purchasing power within the Dominion to ensure that all industry can bo profitably employed, whether working for export or for our domestic requirements within the Dominion. ‘ “The result, we think, is that, as industry generally is unable to profitably employ all the available labor at the price fixed, chronic unempleyment to a greater or lesser degree has resulted in almost every industry. In our opinion no one was better able to handle the questions affecting the interests of any particular trade or industry than those directly engaged in it, and the only persons competent to deal with wages and conditions in any individual business are the contracting parties themselves. “No'tribunal can lay down definite wages or costs in any industry to cover periods of three years without risk of doing an injustice to either one or tho other party during some part, of that period,” said .the speaker, “while it has only been found possible in a few cases' to frame awards for the farming industry. Tho indirect offoit of the fixation of costs of production within tho Dominion has been detrimental to primary producers generally, as we cannot pass excessive costs on, being dependent on the world’s parity in regard to our prices, “I may say that, during the war period, our experience with tho workers’ representatives was a very happy one, agreements being made which were satisfactory to both parties, each recognising the needs of the other under the special circumstances afid we are of opinion that, if tho same spirit of conciliation aud goodwill which obtained during that period could be assured in the future difficulties would be reduced to a negligible quantity, if not entirely eliminated.” AMENDMENTS SUGGESTED. In the statement presented by Mr. W. J, Poison,-on behalf of, the New Zealand Fanners’ Union, amendments were suggested to the Arbitration Act as follow: (a) To make the penalty for a bread) of “preference to unionists” clause more effective; (b) to givo third parties substantially interested in any dispute, e.g., primary producers in the freezing industry* dispute of two years ago, the right to appear before the court; (c) in I making an award the ability of the industry concerned to bear an award should bo taken into consideration; (d) that where possiblo the principle of piecework be adopted; (e) that farmers, and those engaged in related occupations, e.g., freezing companies, which are in the main subject to prices that are realised on the world’s markets, should receive exemption from Arbitration Couit awards. ' ... - ~ Discussing the position of farmers, Mr. Poison said: “The essence of the union’s contention is that farming is (a) vital to national prosperity;' (b) quite unsuited to standardised schedule methods of working; (c) dependent on weather; (d) definitely varied as to crops, processes, soil, locality, transport and markets; (e) dependent on a market which is situated abroad, and where costs cannot ho passed on; (f) in a difficult and precarious condition at the present time and less able to bear harassing restrictions than at any previous time in our history; (g) unable to pass on additional costs occasioned by interferences oj the Arbitration Court.” The opinion was expressed that the, court should consist of three judges of Supreme Court rank. In the discussion, on the papers rend by the professors, Professor Belsliaw replied to criticism of his statement as to the number of land transfers, and contended that official figures showed he had been conservative rather than extravagant. Otic speaker expressed the opinion that Professor Beishaw’s was the most constructive view that the conference had yet. had before it. ». Professor Tooker, replying to numerous questions, said he wished to combat the argument that the Arb trillion Court could he used as a deciding factor in oroporljoning. the distribution of a number of small but very definite stipulations of the court, which', undoubtedly, hamue'ed management. For three years before the present phase of unemployment, tl;e statistics showed that tho num-

1 her of immigrants had decreased. Immigrjit'on alone was not the cause of unamploymeut,