COURT WANTED BACK
INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES REPLY TO DEPUTATION The Prime Minister, Mr G. W. Forbes, speaking plainly, told a Labor deputation at Dunedin which asked for the restoration of the Arbitration Court that it had been a case of two armed camps. Employers were looked upon as common enemies, to which Mr Robinson, a member of the deputation, replied that that had not been the case in Dunedin.
Mr Forbes then raised the question of the inability of an industry to pay. At a meeting of trade representatives in Wellington one man said that if an industry could not pay a decent wage it. should not be in existence. Mr Robinson: That is what Sir Robert Stout said.
Mr Forbes: He is not here' now, and changed conditions often change opinions.
Tt was better when an industry was struggling that .a man should tie employed at a lower wage instead of joining the unemployed. Another member of the deputation: If the position were planed before the Arbitration Court it, would be taken into consideration. ‘Mr Forbes said that in a great many eases there was quite a friendly atmosphere in business, and lie had never found a decent employer who •was not prepared if he were in a position to pay a fair wage. Mr Batchelor: You have, never sat on a conciliation Council. The employers are dominated by Mr T. O. Bishop. He is the king-pin. Mr Fokbcs: You must admit that some of the workers are very difficult to agree with. All the fault is not on the employers’ side. You say that employers dictate. I say that, bad 'Labor representatives dictate. •Mr Robinson: That is why we want the .Court. “We do not stand for sweating,” declared Mr Forbes. “I nvas assured 'at the time by employers that if any alteration was given them to tide them over the difficult, times no advantage would be taken of it whatever. It you can give me evidence of sweating, chapter and verse, we will have it inquired into. After all, general statements can be refuted by statements in other directions.”
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Bibliographic details
Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18585, 20 December 1934, Page 2
Word Count
351COURT WANTED BACK Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18585, 20 December 1934, Page 2
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