CAPITAL AND LABOUR.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10660, 31 May 1913, Page 3

CAPITAL AND LABOUR.

Per Press Association. Ohristchniob, May 29. The annual Provincial Conference of the North Canterbury District of the New Zealand XThiOil has opened, Mr George Sheat, the retiring president, in his address, said they required to pause and think if the Balkan war was wholly responsible for the financial stringency. When one considered that the advent of the motor car and motor cycle was responsible for sucking, if anything from three to five millions of money in fion-producing luxuries any reasonable thinker could see that . there was the principal reason for ? the tightness of money. After j referring to the satisfactory prices | for the principal products he said | that the grain yields had been dis- j anpointing, and added that when one considered that to grow a bushel of wheat at the present price of land and money entails an outlay of 3a 2d, there was not a very heavy profit when 3s 6d is the market value of the produce, and it was very doubtful whether, if the present price of lambs, wool and mutton continues, and labour unrest prevails, Now Zealand might not in the near future find herself importing ■instead of exporting the necessary for the staff of life. Added to the land were the demands of the workers, who were about to seek the aid of the Court to decree that all threshing shall be done by the hour system, and not by contract. With the experience of South Canterbury, whose threshing under that system had run up to and sevenpence per bushel, againsfc'North Canterbury threepence, it was quite within the bounds of probability that they might have their children cry for bread and have none to give. Referring to labour matters, he said I the scarcit}' of labour still continued. | The Conciliation and Arbitration

Act had proved a delusion and a snare. It became operative when | applied to an employer, but remains a dead letter when applied to the j striker. While he gave Judge Sim credit for being absolutely impartial, the Act was powerless to arrest or deter strikes, and a Wages Beard seemed to present the only solution of the Labour problem. Among the remits agreed to was one urging chat the Immigration Department be galvanised into life for the purpose of securing suitable farm and other labourers and domestics, also farmers with capital, no matter how small, and another —■ that where the Crown deal with < Crown lands in any County Council ) area, such council be represented fo the locating of the roads, arraugiv g the subdivision of the lands, r nt j the fixing of rentals of the siusv Jt