A CAPITALIST'S OPINION.

Timaru Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4913, 2 September 1890, Page 3

A CAPITALIST'S OPINION.

Mr G. F. Martin, chairman of the Christchurch Chamber of Oommerco, speaking on the strike, said : — Hero wo havo a colony capable of carrying some millions of people, with a soil and climate that might make it the " market gardon of the world," and yet we find a miserable scattering of population, numbering little over half a million, squabbling over the good things provided for them. Thero can bo no real necessity for this squabble m the colonies, and it is entirely uncalled for. It is not due to any real hardship endured by our laboring classes m New Zealand. It is, m my opinion, merely a reflection of an agitation started m the over - populated cities of the Old Country, whero labour had wrongs that no doubt required righting -and, I am glad to say, were righted-' capitalists assisting them from all quarters of the Empire. In the colonioß labor has no griovance similar to those of tho Old Country, nor can employers m anyway wish to introduco such a miserable state of things. Pi-rsonally, T fully approvo of our labouring clauses protecting their interests by every fair means, but unfortunately the notions of agitator* f rcquentlyload men beyond the bounds of thoir own discretion. Hithorto employers of labour m New Zealand — whether by 6oa or by land— have endeavoured to aV-il fairly with ell reasonable demands mado upon them by their employes ; but it is no longer possible for thum to trout with thorn wh;> apparently fnil to recognise the fact that capital has its rights as well ns labour. Huch unfortunately would appear to bo tho c.iso, and it now behoves omployers to act m thoir own interests, and with no uncertain hand, to stay the wave of tyrjnny with which thoy havo been bo long threatened. Possibly tho firm stund now mado by amployera throughout tho colonios may tend to hasten tho adoption of corns fair and permanent mode of settling all disputes between interests whioh aro identical.

Tho discharging of the vessels m Lyttelton by tho volunteers on Friday and Saturday is said to havo been great fun, from tho blundoling way tho coal baskets were lended, anywhere but m tho trucks ; and with slings of sugar going overboard, a lift hook jammed m tho block overhead, and no one sailor enough tn go up and frco it, no doubt there waa plenty to laugh at. After tea the first day tho work was rathor worso dono, nnd this was put down to too liboral a supply of chauipagno on toast at tho toa.

One report from Lyttoltcn is that the Union Company have been m v measure ooerced to join the Australian ownors m their fight with tho Unions, by a throat of competition m tho Now Zealand and t!cw Zmland — Australian trade if they did not join. This is not impossible, for whether tho Australian owners wiu or lose, they will roduce the cut-throat competition thoy havo kept up for some lime, and this will sot Bomo of their steamoH fioo. The high freight] m tho Now Zealand trade wou'd then no doubt be vory tempting.