The Daily News. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1900. THE LABOUR QUESTION IN NEW ZEALAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 215, 5 November 1900, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1900. THE LABOUR QUESTION IN NEW ZEALAND.

Usdeu the heading "How New Zealand Traits Non-Union Labour," the following letter was addressed by Mr. W. J. Shaxby. secretary to the Liberty and Property Defence League, to the Railway, Herald, Transport, and other journals : —'• Recent reports received from New Zealand show an astonishing state of things brought aboui by the Compulsory Arbitration Act. A final apeal against a decision of the Arbitration Court, that preference for employment should be given to members of trade unions, was recently heard, and tha Supreme Court unanimously upheld the decision. In the course of his judgment, the Chief Justice stated that non-unionists were altogether outside the Act. They had been excluded. A non-associated workman has bo status under this statute. As»ign what place we will to Adam Smitb, as a. political economist, the truth of the following words is eternal, 1 The patrimony of a poor man lies in the strength and dexterity of his hands; [ and to hinder him from employing his j strength and dextprity in wcat manner he thinks proper, without injury to his neighbours, is a plan violation of this I most sacred property. It is a manifest encroachment upon the just liberty both of the workman and of those who might be disposed to employ him.' In this crisis of the Tail' Vale Railway Company with its workman, it is of value to upholders of liberty to see to what lsngth trades union tyranny cm force its way, and it is important that i he Hoard of Trade beware how it gives official countenance to the efforts of British trades unions to foist New Zealand experiments upon British em- ! ployers. Undoubtedly, the trade union concerned will do its best to enlist the l president's sympathy, and to thus obtain recognition by the Board of Trade i as ' a party to the dispute.'" To this J letter the editor of the liailiuay Herald ' appends the following footnote: —" Wo' are always roady to publish letters giving every side of railway problems.; At the same time we feel bouhd to say i that, in our opinion, after not a little i study of tiie subject, New Zeaknd is probably unsurpassed for the excellence of its social administration. Whatever be the rght tied wrong of i.h j methods described in thy above letter, they have' 1-QhuiUal in a wonderfully high level of j iailus rial prosperity, if employers of labour would only take the lead by j |si..tiiupg every nerve to o.<tiwu for Jioir workpeople the blessings of educaion, and moral ami conditions of iife, tiie-i the free lab ur theory uugnt prove aicepiablf. But it is not rious that practically every social reform has been promulgated from iVelow am ivsisfed irorn above. Homo i.l us would be glad to see the Liberty aud J.'i operty Defence League expend little ol' its energy in theeduKitjon of the mural responsibilities of thoao who hold tiie said property."