URGES ABOLITION OF ARBITRATION COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18888, 14 October 1929, Page 11

URGES ABOLITION OF ARBITRATION COURT.

MR AGAR ADDRESSES CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AT N.Z. CONFERENCE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, October 14. In his speech at the opening of the Dominion conference of the Associated Chambers of Com* merce to-day, the president (Mr C. P. Agar) said he believed that the abolition of the Arbitration Court would increase the prosperity of the country and result in the more permanent improvement of the Dominion. As a result of freedom Ife C. P. Agar. from the Arbitration Court, some workers would remain on their present scale. Others who were not producing would possibly have to accept a lower wage or increase their efforts, but the man of main value to the community, the man to-day discouraged because cf the system of payment for time put in instead of production put out, would be free to put forward his best efforts and gain the rewards possible as a result of greater production. Employers would have to recognise that there should be no attempts at sweating or lowering the standard of living, but that employees should share in the increased benefits of industry. At present the arbitration system was supported by workers largely because of their fear of losing what had been gained. On the other hand, employees suffered because many employers were afraid to recognise special work and ability for the reason that, were it recognised, it would appear to follow automatically that it should be adopted as the standard of the following award. Labour evidently failed to recognise the benefits of increased production. In recent years there had undoubtedly been too much legislation and too much interference in business, which had resulted in a lack of confidence. In his judgment the time had arrived when any additional tariff protection for secondary industries would have to be offset by a corresponding relief of primary producers.