N.Z. WELFARE LEAGUE

Southland Times, Issue 18811, 3 May 1920, Page 4

N.Z. WELFARE LEAGUE

INDUSTRIAL TURMOIL. URGENT NEED FOR A GENERAL REVIEW. (Contributed by the Welfare League.) For some months past the League has been urging the need for a general review of our Dominion’s industrial situation, specially as it relates to the matter of industrial disputes. We have again and again emphasised the advisability of the Government calling together a National Conference of direct representatives of Capital and Labour in order to seriously attempt to arrive at some common understandings upon basic principles and methods which might do away with much of the perpetual friction, strife and distrust that now exists. A great number of bodies throughout New Zealand have heartily endorsed our appeal in this direction. If anything farther were wanted to impress upon the Prime Minister, the Employers' Associations, and the Labour Federation the wisdom of holding such a National Industrial Conference at an early date, surely the lamentable railway strike should be sufficient. Would it not be infinitely better for the Government to spend £IOOO in having the general situation candidly reviewed by the practical men of both the employers’ and workers’ sides in joint conference, than to constantly face the risk of outbreaks in the way of strikes which cost the country many thousands, and very often leave added bitterness in their wake. The discussion, at the last meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board demonstrates that the League was not far wrong in urging that the mode of settling disputes demands review and judgment, if the public interests are not to be ruthlessly sacrificed. During the Prince’s visit it will not be possible for the Prime Minister to call any National Conference. We take this opportunity of requesting the public to put aside everything but the facts of the situation, and join with us in urging the Prime Minister to call a National Industrial Conference as soon as it is practicable. The League is confident that if Mr Massey will take the bold course of saying to the Workers’ Federations and to the Employers’ Federations: “You are all dissatisfied, we’ll come together in joint conference, investigate and confer, and then let the Government know how far you can agree, and what you want. The Government will give all the assistance it can to establish good relations’’—then a very general response will result. Constantly rising disputes, short agreements, fresh demands, no common understandings of a basic character. Let us go on in that way and a big smash must come from which the whole Dominion will suffer, Our appeal is for the Prime Minister to call upon all the services of reason and practical knowledge now whilst there is time. To procrastinate in this matter is to court disaster. Other countries are Nationally reviewing these matters—why not New Zealand?