WELLINGTON NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16462, 14 June 1919, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

EMPLOYERS AND LABOUR. THE CONFERENCE SCHEME, BY TELEGHAPH. —OWN COBRKBPONDENT. WELLINGTON, June 13. In reference to the proposal of tho Federation of Labour for a conference of employers and labour, Sir James Allen was asked if, in view of its favourable reception by nine bodies of employers, he considered the time opportune for some definite step by the Government in the direction of bringing the parties together. Sir James Allen,, in reply, quoted from the speech which he made recently in Dunedin, and’which embodied’ his views upon the matter. He said then that the question of harmonious industrial relationships has been thought over by many people. " The National Efficiency Board more than once considered the problem. The hoard had some doubt whether representatives of capital or labour were able to dissever themselves from the existing difficulties to such an extent as to enable them to take a sufficiently broad outlook on the mutual relationships of the future as would warrant any hope of more satisfactory permanent conditions being established by direct contact and discussion, but the board believed much could be done by a slow process of education and technical training of a suitable character applied equally to employers and to employed. Tho national executive of the Federation of Labour considered that the hope of the immediate future lies in tho Ultimate and continuous association of both the management and labour, and they suggested machinery for bringing this about in the form of a National Industrial Council. There would seem to bo much in common in tho reports of the Garton Foundation, tho Whitley reports, and that of the national executive of tho New Zealand Federation of Labour. This being so, may we not hope some solution of the present industrial unrest is within the bounds of possibility? Sir James Allen added that he had been watching the matter closely since he made this speech, and ho had observed a reference by some bodies of employers to the conference proposal. The Government would do all that it could to assist in bringing about an understanding between the two parties, but the question for consideration was whether any good would come of a conference at the present time. Though tho signs were hopeful the parties were still at arm’s length and mutually suspicious. That suspicion must he removed and a better atmosphere created before they could hope to do any good at a conference. The slow process of education must be allowed to work. Ho believed it was desirable that employees should be given some part in the management of industry, that they might appreciate tho problems and difficulties of the employers, but that could not ho brought about hastily. Any attempt to hasten tho process by a conference before the parties were ready to come naturally together would lessen the possibilities of good results and might undo the good that had already been done.