MINISTER FOR LABOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13733, 24 October 1908, Page 7

MINISTER FOR LABOUR.

MR MILLAR AT TIMARU. The H«n. .J. A. Miller, Minister for Labour, jiiiM-cil through Timarii by the Ijint express ' for llie south yintcrday, and during the brief interval tin? train .stojjjicd lure he courteously gave to a " Herald" reporter a few it-cni-s of intcjint. In reply to » quu-tion as to the forthcoming election the Minuter s<iid he would not say anything beyond the fact that tilt- iirosjx:ct» for the Government were very good indeed. He would be ojieiiing his campaign in Duncdin shortly, and must niserve any other remarks on thin head, until then. .Speaking of the labour legislation of laht serv-don Mr Millar *aid that judging by the exjiriseioiis of opinion he was getting on all hands the legislation of last year, an. it Mas being better understood, wjift gieatly appreciated, lloth *id'.r> sci-med willing to give it a fair trial, and he was !to]>elul thai it would prove a satisfactory bohition of the difticulty. to all jKink»■. He was confiimed in lhi* hope by the successful leMilln which had followed in the Old Country, wheie voluntary conciliation had been going on. He did not agree with tho.»e wlio maintained that conciliation alone would imet the difficulty. Without the clement of compulsion there was no need for legislation, for it was o|>en to anyone to enter into a voluntary agreement without any legislation. Looking at it fiom a national point of view, he said that a time nrfces, nhiti. in the interests of the j>eoj)l" as. a. whole, coinjmlsion was ne c. ssaiy. otherwise the action of a f- w men might result in very ncriotib loss. No legislation . absolutely prevented stnkeis. and no law absolutely prevented crime, but the laws, that had been paired, were calculate'l to act a.< a veiy good deterrent. Coiitinuiic. Mr Millar s,,id (hit jtidg injr by the experiences of I lie just 15 y-alf- lonipu'r-oiy aibitralion had been for the ben-tit of the roiintiy. and it Has admitted on all hands, that the con dition of the work'r had been impiuvd under it. The Mutism.* at last rei-r,u* showed that tho«c who were, employing their capital in industries in X«-w Xea land, had not done so unprofitable. 'I hi#> wan clearly • videiit fioin tho fact that the amount •>( capital inv. st.-d in l.md. buildings, and plant, had im-ivai-ed fiom o milliol:n to 11 millions dm ill}; the hw.l. 6 yeais. " And w,- know." ilie Minn-t>-r added, "that there i« in. jiliil.int limpy ill btl»lll«\«s." I'llllhel. )n> r-t.l!"l thai iiv income t.ii r-turns tihuw d th.it the <-,.pi;.il invc-t.d had been i.i inning a fair late of inteieist. and added to tillthey had the f.n t that a numb- : of ,\iv 'laliait employer.-, a !•■ lioiv negotiating for land and jnciui«e* to <i»tahlsdi in dll.-tiies heie. Tin- ■];,! i,..t look a* :f II »<■!,■ imp.c->il.l. !.. make a fail profit on inv-te.l capital. In a bi:et i-feieme ;.. the Ois:..in< : a niL Mr M liar r-a d ihut die amount paid in Customs now. -.,, 8 pi i-nt. lc--. than ,1 xi .is 4 ye.,,. ~-,, 'Jh.- limy had 1., en taken off almi"! rv'iything tji- workiiii: mail u»ed. The only i:etn afire'ing the working man. on whhh .me du'v to -|«-ak "f. ir,,,;.,,!"!. ua> il'.l'.!*. He b-llve.l ti,..-. '.he \\"..,k. r-' I •..,„pen saiion for \..n1.-|it» Act m.iv the M „,-| aivalKid p:c«- of iiglMala.li of itr. I. I.i. n -liv pail ..! 'i.e n..il,i >eie:.| „.-!! 'iiialiti. d men n. ■•■ la.u g..mg ini fully m'.o i . ; ,iid • h-y mt'ii-ir-i '•• j.'.ibli-li -iv .-, o|'inioii» lt.feirt.g !.. ::,.■ . i,.,,j.- that h.,.1 Iliad- ..-.III,! '.MI. '.( il.lV.llg .ie,, : -,-.i J;,.,,, h • f'.nnei- i-.>i:...i, ~, the ,<.. : 'i.,„g n, ,i. - fii.iid. Mi M Mai d. m. d the ii.it!, ••' :!,-. .-.1, d • '.'l he W"!lM ..-:> •:,. ~.. ~...,. ... ll.'llie ill' Mligie illMalHr :U whl.il ill h ■■; .ii.ne alii tiling ••! Illjti!" !ir wii:kl--- Vn< mm ~e.iU in ;- ~~j-.-:..„- ■■', :■■:. Lo.-i a-..in-t i. in. ii.i' •;.■ •. • ■•■•)•: n-.t !•■•>• I'irin lie Mm. ■■< • . -i th.i h in-l ie tllllr f.ir til"..- lltll -. hj" •■•o-.i ..•- -t"f ~.'tir:>. .md mole w II ■' rrrn'i.'- <■( 'h-- ~.,'. ~!;.! ~ i,., |-..||.-i_' .:. •■ -i". -ll" " >:■ '■■ we!' iliiini'...! t" Hi- «"iu:i <•! tii I *"

miniorf. And it was because, he had shown no svmpathy with such men that he was being attacked. It was men who were trying to Ur=e labour to further their own ends who made this false . accusation against him and they did not like it because he had exposed their little game. "