WELLINGTON EMPLOYERS

Taranaki Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 14346, 26 October 1910, Page 7

WELLINGTON EMPLOYERS

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

AND THE LABOUR LAWS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Oct, 26. The annual report of the New Zoa{and, Employers’ Federation submitted at to-day’s meeting deals at f oino length with the iaoour laws. there have not been, says tho report, any largo industrial upheavals during tlio year, nor has there been any cessation of tho continuous demands lor higher wages and shorter hours. On the contrary, these demands are becoming more insistent and persistent than ever, and signs are not wanting, especially amongst the stronger and better organised trade unions, showing that tiioj realise that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act has done as much as is possible, and that they _ are now prepared to adopt a “might is right attitude and to drilt back to the old order of tilings. After referring to some recent demands tho report proceeds; “It would appear that tho day of reckoning is not for oil, and that ore long the epu'stion whether the arbiis to remain will have to be faced. There must either bo a law governing labour conditions or the workers must depend on the strength of their organisations to secure their rights, as the present ha.B-nnd-ha.lf position is most unsatisfactory, and cither the workers as a whole must ho loval to the Act or the Act must go. Whether the best interests of Dio country would lie served by an application of the survival of the principle is ft matter for serious consideration by all concerned, employers, workers, and public alike; but there can be no two opinions expressed about the necessity of all affected being lotal to the Act'if it is to remain on tho statute book.

WELLINGTON. Oct. 26. At the animal meeting-of the’New Zealand Employers’ Federation to-day, the Hoit. C. Mi Luke. AVcllimitou, was elected president. Mr. W. M. Scott, Dunedin, was again nominated employers’ representative on the Arbitration Court, and Mr. Mb Pryor, Wellingtnn, ns deputy representative. The Dili' amending the Arbitration Art wan eon side red and referred in the Finance Committee and secretaries present for report.