The Daily News MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1933. LABOUR CONDITIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1933, Page 4

The Daily News

MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1933. LABOUR CONDITIONS.

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It was a great pity Mr. R. W. Semple, Labour member for Wellington North, was not more specific in his charge against the employers of the Dominion. He assured the House of Representatives that “sweating” was rife and that if the officers of the Labour Department could not detect it they were incompetent and should be “cleared out, lock, stock and barrel.” In regard to the officials it may be accepted that it is in their capacity as administrators of unemployed relief that, much of the criticism has arisen. The officials have been given certain duties to perform and certain rules upon which they are allowed no latitude. Sometimes these instructions have seemed unfair and unwise even to members of the voluntary relief committees who are doing such splendid work in assisting in distributing equitably the relief that is available. But two facts must be borne in mind in regard to the work of Labour Department officers. The Unemployment Board must regard the granting of relief from a national and not a local viewpoint, and it must keep expenditure within the limit of the revenue provided by a fairly heavy tax of which any increase is scarcely practicable. That mistakes occur in the pursuance of a policy based upon those facts is undoubted. The differentiation between allocations for the metropolitan as compared with the provincial centres is an instance of a decision that has been much questioned by local relief organisations in Taranaki. But to blame the local State official for the policy he is instructed to carry out is neither fair nor reasonable. It is quite true that some officers are more tactful than others, but the Minister of Labour was able to assure the House that in regard to an officer, against whom definite charges had been made in Parliament, not only was his ability and energy undoubted, but he had been able also to give satisfactory reasons for the actions that had led to criticism. The duties of the Labour Department have been made none the less easy through the time of depression that is now passing away. But Mr. Semple’s charges covered more than the Labour Department. They referred to employers as a class, and anyone who knows the true facts will read such statements with amazement and wrath. In Taranaki at all events so far from employers taking advantage of hard times to oppress the wage-earner they have been the first to recognise the necessity of lightening, so far as they could, the burden of unemployment. Case after cas ( e could be cited where staffs have been employed not because profit could be made but because the employer desired to see his workmen earning wages instead of joining the unemployed. Indeed, one of the few benefits that have been derived from the years of depression has been the new relationship between employers and employees. They have been forced, at first perhaps by circumstances, but latterly by mutual understanding to realise that cooperation between Capital and Labour is essential if prosperity is to be won back. It was satisfactory to note some recognition of this in the debate following Mr. Semple’s observations. It was admitted that there was no desire on the part of employers generally to exploit the shortage of work, though of course there are unscrupulous employers just as there are unscrupulous wageearners. The latter would be very indignant were the conduct of the few unsatisfactory workmen made the occasion for condemnation of wage-earners generally, and the same also applies to employers as a class. Those who essay to speak on behalf of Labour have a serious responsibility now that recovery has begun. If they wish to do the Dominion, and especially the wage-earners, good service they will weigh their utterances carefully before delivering them. Industrial readjustments are never easy, but they are almost impossible if the spirit of classconsciousness and class enmity is to be kept alive, whether by malice aforethought or through lack of appreciation of conditions as they exist.