N.Z. EMPLOYERS’ FEDERATION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXL, Issue 20284, 6 December 1935, Page 9

N.Z. EMPLOYERS’ FEDERATION

ANNUAL MEETING THE POLITICAL CHANGE , C i By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, December 5. The President of the New Zealand | Employers’ Association (Mr A. C. i Mitchell) prefaced his address at the j annual meeting to-day by making , some reference to the political change ( which has come about. He said that , the New Zealand Employers’ Federation as an organisation had no party ( and no policies. Probably every shade . of political opinion was represented ; amongst its members. < “At the outset I feel sure that all | members will join with me sincerely j In offering congratulations tp Mr } Savage ami his colleagues upon the ; reward which the people of New Zea- ( land as a whole have bestowed upon them after their many years of . strenuous work in Opposition. I per- i sonallv wish Mr Savage and his col- - leagues every success in the work which they now have to undertake. I feel sure that members of this organ- , lsation as a body will endorse that wish. Our organisation has always aimed at the preservation of industrial peace, the gradual improvement of the standard of living in so far as circumstances will allow and so far as our influence has extended w° have always endeavoured to use it to attain these ends. We have placed at the disposal of every successive Minister of Labour any information that we possessed which might be of use to him and so far as has been practicable we have co-operated with successive Ministers in industrial matters. Such services will still be at the disposal of the new Minister of Labour. Our desire is tc assist him in every possible way aril not to be obstructive. It may happen, of course, that some of the new Government’s proposals will call for our criticism, perhaps for our opposition, but if the occasion does arise our criticism will be constructive and not destructive. Industrial Expansion “We mu t assume that the Government will be actuated by an earnest chsire to preserve th~ industries ->f the Dominion and will avoid any measures that will adversely affect industrial expansion and development. We have frequentlv given public expression to what is a fact —that our organisation is not antagonistic to organised labour, but exists for the purpose of meeting organised labour on an equal footing a jd our desire has always been to reconcile the views of employers and workers as far as possible, to arrive at industrial agreements by friendly discussion and negotiation, and to improve working conditions as far as practicable having due regard to the circumstances under which industries are carried on at any time. We hope that the new Government will appreciate that spirit which animates our organisation. We have acquired long md valuable experience of industrial matters. We will be prepared to discuss all things reasonably r ith representatives of the Government and we trust that our relations with the incoming Government will always be friendly and mutually helpful. We shall probably have differences of opinion upon industrial legislation from time to time, but in such cases we shall try to be constructive in all our criticism, and we shall endeavour to co-operate with the Government in all things for the mutual benefit of our members ~nd their employees.” Trading Conditions Mr Mitel ell referred to the rise in wool prices and the improved prices for da:ry produce on the Home markets as matters for sincere congratulation. It could not be assumed that our troubles of the past four or five years were entirely at an end, or that there ra'.a be an immediate restoration of pre-slump conditions. However, signs were not wanting of a general improvement in trading conditions. It was still necessary to exercise the greatest care, but the pendulum should nol be allow3d to swing too far in the direction of wage increases until industry was in a position to bear the increased cost without prejudice to the progress towards recovery which had been so long awaited. There had been much discussion on a suggestion to introduce 40-hour week as a partial solution of the unemployment problem. It would probably be found that the Introduction of a shorter working week would not appreciably affect the number of w >rkers employed in any industry, and might even force certain industries to further mechanise their producti''" esses, which could quite easily produce an effect the exact eppe te cf what was intended. Election of Officers The following officers were elected:— President, Mr A. C. Mitchell; vicepresident, Sir William Hunt; immediate ex-president, Mr W. Hopkirk; treasurer, Mr H. Coull; executive members, presidents of the Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago Associations. and Messrs K. McLeay and A. C. H. Hoyles, representing other associations, and Colonel Holgate and Mr M. J. Kennedy, representing “affiliated organisations”: trustees, Messrs J. M. Fleming, W. H. Bennett, W. E. Fuller, and Dr. C. P. Knight.