DOMINION FLAX TRADE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19132, 29 September 1936, Page 5

DOMINION FLAX TRADE

INQU'KY INTENDED

TEMPORARY AGREEMENT

(Per Press Association.)

PALMERSTON N., this day

As the result of a conference field yesterday between representatives of flaxmill * owners and workers and the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, Minister of Labour,. and the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, a decision was reached that the men would return to work to-day on an agreement that will be operative for a month. During that time, the Government will make an investigation into the whole flax industrv.

Mr. Armstrong pointed out that, through a mistake, fiax-workers were not included among those who under the recent legislation had wages restored. The Government would have amended the position, but had not- done so, as the basic wage was shortly to be declared.- It seemed, however, that the flax-workers became tired of waiting and struck.

The average earnings of men engaged in tiie industry were £2 weekly, and if the industry could not give something better than that, it- was questionable whether it was worth while going any further. The Government already was subsidising the industry to the extent ot £4 per ton. The employers submitted that they were unable to pay higher wages, to which Mr. Armstrong replied: “We have been listening to that argument since boyhood from employers in many industries. It is always ruin to concede what the workers have asked for. You would have paid the men had the flax industry been included with others under the recent legislation, and you would have managed somehow. I think the whole industry wants reorganising and putting on an entirely different basis. Maybe it is not an industry that should be left to private enterprise.”

Ho thought the men would not go back for a penny less than what they asked for.

Mr. Parry pointed out that if the owners wanted a higher subsidy, it must be shown that it was worth while to keep the industry going. If it was going to reach the point where it would be too high, the Government would employ the men at something else.