The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1890. THE LABOR CONFERENCE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2109, 9 October 1890, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1890. THE LABOR CONFERENCE.

all hope of a settlement of the Labor difficulty appears at present as distant as ever. Agreeably to Mr Perceval's resolution a conference has been held but nothing has resulted from it. All the Labor Unions sent delegates, but the only Employers Union represented was the Union Steam Shipping Company.; When employers formed themselves into unions recently, they asserted it was necessary to do so in

order to take united action with regard to Labor. Several Labor Associations met and passed resolutions ' congratulating employers on baying taken this step, as it appeared to them that it would lead to an amicable,understanding. The Labor party looked hopefully to the union of capitalists, as it appeared to them that the good and kind hearted employers would modify and to»e down the sordidly selfish ones, and that in this way a more human spirit would gorern the relations of capital and laber. .We are afraid that all the hopes thus raised have qeen dispelled, by the fact that all the Employers Unions hare declined to attend the Conference. This docs not look healthy at all. It simply amounts to treating the Labor Unions with contempt, by thus ignoring them. Of course the Employers' Unions were perfectly justified in doing this. We do not at all question their right *to do so, but we doubt. the

wisdom of such a course, No man likes to bo treated with contempt, and it is not likely that a body of men will like it either. Nothing could be better calculated to irritate the unionists than this course; n«r is it likely that they will soon forget being slighted in this way. So far as we can see the whole trouble may be traced t« the action taken by the Nelson Brothers, This is an English firm which has ] recently staited in New Zealand, and I in the beginning of the trouuble it | sent round to employers of labor in the various districts a circular telegram calling on them to combine together to crush the unienla, as they would never have a more favorable opportunity. The other day ac;ain when Sir Harry Atkinson invited the Employers and Labor Unions to a Conference at Wellington Messrs Nelson Bros, sent a secend telegram, warning all em-' ployers not to seod any delegates to Wellington until the unionists promised to work with free laborers. Now these are facts which 1 cannot be gainsayed, and in our opinion this 1 was not the right course to follow under the circumstances. The more reasonable the more manly, and the more conciliatory plan was to meet the Labor delegates face to faee, and there and then argue the point out with

them in a calm dispassionate manner. If thir were done the employers position would have been unassailably strong. They could say " Tou left our '. employment and we were bound to carry on our work as well as wo could. Owing to this it became necessary for us to put men in your places, and to these men we guaranteed employment for a certain time, we cannot get rid of these men in the meantime, and consequently if you come back you must work with them," Now if the employers sent delegates to Wellingand put the matter before the Conference in this form, no one could "*Uin of them, and it is very prolTi 4 " i. L i! arrangement would bable that so r " vhllt j nß tead of have been arrived ai, -"■' * *—**hey that they refused to attend unlee* got all their own way before they left home at all. So far as we can see the only point in dispute is the question of unionists working with free laborers.

If this were settled before the meeting of the Conference as insisted on by the employers there would not have been any necessity for holding the Conference at all. The whole thing would be settled to-morrow if the unionists yielded this point. In insisting on the unionists yielding this —the most vital point—before they would diecußs anything else, the employers certainly

asked too much, unless they feel they can get on without union labor. If of course they find that they have plenty of men to do the work without the unionists, their action is justifiable. This is a G-od-for-mB-All-and-tbe-Devil-take-the-hinder-most age, in which sentiment and sympathy play tery small parts, Christianity tells us that we ought to " lore our neighbor as ourselves," .." bear each other's burdens, and do unto others as we wish others as we wish others to do unto as, Ac," but who carees for these precepts where the, almighty dollar is concerned? Alas who does ? Employers of course are not bound to trouble themselves about the unionists if they can do without them, and neither are the unionists bound to bother about the employers if they can do without them, If, as we suspect, both are dependent on each other, the employers are the greatest fools of the two parties. As we previously pointed out a working man may suffer some discomfort from hunger, but 90 sooner does he get a few square meals than he is as good as ever he was, and all is Boon forgotten. It is not so with the capitalist, if through this strife he loses any of his capital it will take him years to regain his lost position. However, the unionist has a right t» starve himself if he likes, and the capitalist has a right to squander his wealth if tee likes, so long as their aetioris do not interfere with the wellbeing of society as a whole. In this instance'_. society... as a whole is affected very seriously, and, there r fore, -it is the business of the State to take the matter in hand. The State cannot act without the sanction of society; that sanction is obtained through Parliament in the shape of law. We have do law at present to deal with the matter, but it is apparent that something must be done to save the. colony from the ruin and < misery which must result from a fratricidal warfare of this nature. A Board of Conciliation must be instituted, so as to prevent future deadlock. Both capitalists and unionists are about equally powerful; they both can inflict great injury on each other, and if both insist on, fighting to the bitter end they will inflict great injury on the colony. Parliament must, therefore, step in and settle the dispute in a fair and reasonable manner, and the sooner this is done the better for all.