AUSTRALIA AND OTTAWA.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 November 1932, Page 6

AUSTRALIA AND OTTAWA.

The challenge of th© Opposition in the Australian Parliament to the Ottawa agreement# appears to be based, upon the earn® grounds as that of their opponents in thia country, The Australian Labour leader, Mr. J. H. Scullin, sees in th© promise made by the Commonwealth. to review its tariff, with a view to affording more preference to imports, from Great Britain, a serious menace to the secondary industries of Australia. Mr. .Scullin and his followers appear to have overlooked the value of the primary industries to the Commonwealth, a value which, as in the case of New Zealand, can only be maintained if markets can be found for exports. When Australia found herself near financial chaos it was to increased primary production that she turned for recovery, and the response was splendid. It is no wonder the Australian representatives at Ottawa were prepared to go some way towards meeting the wishes of Great Britain if only they could obtain in return an assured market for the primary exports of the Commonwealth. Opponents of the Ottawa agreements have yet to show in what manner Great Britain could receive a quid pro quo from the Dominions except through their tariffs being lowered to enable British manufacturers to sell more goods in Dominion markets. If the primary producers in New Zealand or Australia are prosperous the secondary industries will also thrive, and the first essential for such prosperity is an assured market for primary exports. Revision of the tariff being part of a contract made, it seems a little far-fetched to complain that to hand the revision to a non-poljti-cal board of experts is taking away the rights of Parliament. Great Britain has l adopted this course, and it is satisfactory to see that the Ministry proposes a similar method in New Zealand. Party politics defeat rather than promote the dispassionate consideration of a tariff, which is essentially a matter for experts to handle. Great Britain showed nothing of the hucksterer in her dealings with the Dominions at Ottawa. It is to be hoped the same spirit of cooperation will be manifested in Australia and. .even nearer home.

INDUSTRIAL LEGISLATION. The decision of the New Zealand. House of Representatives not to proceed, yith any further amendment of the Conciliation and Arbitration Acts in the meantime will 'be generally approved. It is true that the Bill suggested was introduced. 'by a Labour member, but the same reasoning would apply had a measure been introduced by a supporter of the Government. It Is only a few months since the old' principle of "conciliation first” was re-enacted. So far had industrial legislation wandered from that fundamental principle that its reapplication has caused a good deal of suspicion, misapprehension and misunderstanding. Yet it must be admitted that in a time of unusual economic, difficulty some progress towards conciliation rather than, compulsion in handling industrial conditions has been achieved. It is only fair to both employers and wage-earners that the process should be given a chance to develop without further alterations in the law. It is possible that fuller experience will show that amendment of the Act- is desirable, and in that case it should not be treated as a matter for party politics to decide. But that experience must be wider than results obtained in the first few months of altered conditions and methods. The principle which is now emphasised is that industrial difficulties can be best solved by tliose concerned getting together and discussing their problems face to face. After all, strikes, lock-outs, go-slow tactics, or any other form of industrial warfare has almost invariably to end in such personal negotiations before a settlement is reached. The, law as it stands at present insists that the conference be held first instead of last. It is so sensible a direction that the wonder is that there should be any opposition to its development or any hurry to tinker with the legislation which makes the procedure possible.