BILL FAVOURED BY COMMERCIAL MEN.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 64, 17 March 1931, Page 7

BILL FAVOURED BY COMMERCIAL MEN.

» PRIME MINISTER MEANS TO FULFIL PROMISE.”

•‘Such legislation as is now before Parliament indicates that the Prime Minister is carrying out his promise, and it certainly looks as though he is going to make a good job of it.” This ■was the comment of Mr H. S. E. Turner, President of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, when referring to the proposals of the Government this morning. “I am sure,” he added, “that the commercial fraternity will be behind Mr Forbes, and in the long run the Labour people will come to see that the legislation is in their interests as much as in that of anyone else. “For my own part I hope, that the Arbitration Court will see fit to consider making a general order. That would be the means of saving a great deal of time and much expense. The job of getting through the whole of the industries individually would be a tremendous and arduous one. It would be a laborious method of arriving at a result which could be achieved by a general order. “We were led to expect this legislation, and I think that a wise step ha£ been taken.” On the Same Footing. “It is right that an opportunity should be given the employers of placing the position of the industries before the Arbitration Court,” said Mr D. I. Macdonald, secretary of the Canterbury Employers’ Association. “ There are groups of workers who are sheltered by awards while unprotected employees are made to suffer from wage cuts and other changes of conditions due to the state of trade. Legislation such as is proposed would be a most equitable way of placing all workers on the same footing. It is desirable that everyone should be on the same basis, and the new Bill will provide an opportunity of establishing that basis. The employers, I am sure, will be in accord with its proposals.