Rangitikei Advocate. MONDAY, JULY 15. 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8864, 15 July 1907, Page 2

Rangitikei Advocate. MONDAY, JULY 15. 1907. SECOND EDITION. EDITORIAL NOTES

ONE is frequently inclined to seriously question whether our legislators are fully equipped with understanding. The Statute hook itself contains ample evidence of their ignorance of economic laws and their working; but occasionally some member displays more than the usual lack of logic. For instance in the House the other day a member put a most extraordinary question to the Government. He asked whether “Government would bring down a Bill this session to minimise the cost of living to the working man by preventing the extra rate of wages from increasing the cost of production. ’ ’ Evidently this member fails to realise that wages are part of the cost of production, and that any artificial extra rate of wages must inevitably be “passed on” to others till the “pass” reaches the primary producer. It is astounding that such a question should have been gravely put in an assembly of representatives of the people. The Premier’s reply showed almost the same curious belief that Parliament can arrest or regulate the working’of laws in the wOrld’of economics, for he said that ‘ ! the problem was one surrounded by considerable difficulties, but he hoped to be able in some aspects to submit a suggested remedy to the House —at least, for part of it. ’ ’ What good results can possibly be expected from a Parliament in which such absurd ideas are entertained?

THE Auckland tramway men are at present repeating recent lessons that the Arbitraton Act is a complete farce, when awards are against the unions. The methods they are adopting are ingenious, as they consist principally of rigid adherence to rules the strict enforcement of which is not expected either by,the general public or the authorities. The fact again stands out clear that the Arbitration Act, instead of being a benefit to the public, is a danger and a curse, and that if allowed to remain on the Statute book it may result in great disaster when all labour Is federated, and some union refuses to observe the terms of an award. If Parliament dare not or will not abolish the Act, then it sh-suld certainly provide drastic penalties for any breach of award whether it is committed by employer or employed. It was confidently predicted that so long as the Act could be used to fleece the employers .and despoil the general public it would be approved by the trades and labour unions, but that when awards failed to satisfy any branch of the Labour Trust, there would be trouble. That prediction has been fully verified.