LABOUR OPINIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 368, 9 March 1932, Page 8

LABOUR OPINIONS.

Modifications of the Bill Foreshadowed.

Satisfaction with the trend that the caucus of the Coalition parties had taken in regard to the suggested alterations to the Industrial, Conciliation and Arbitration Act, was expressed in Christchurch Labour circles this morning. In some quarters it is thought that the Bill would ultimately be put through with modifications and the exclusion of rural occupations from the Act.

'ihe opinion that it was a good thing to see the Government divided on the arbitration question was voiced bv Mr E. Parlane, secretary of the Drivers’ Lnion. It was only reasonable to suppose that among the Coalition parties there were some members who realised what the position would be if the Bill were put through in its present form. '1 he proposals were practicallv giving the unscrupulous employer the'right to " wield the big stick ” over the worker, nothing more or less. If adopted thev would hand the country over to the unscrupulous employer, 'and the more militant worker. They would also tend to make those men who were not militant turn to militancy.

"The position is just as it ought to be,” commented Mr IT. C. Revell, secretary' of the Freezing Works and Related Trades Union. “The employers, as well as the emplovees. realise how drastic it would be if the I.C. and A. Act were neutralised to the extent proposed.” “ Climbing Down.” Observing that the Prime Minister was now apparently climbing down, another secretary said that the disagreement at the caucus revealed that the members of the Coalition parties had not been consulted on the arbitration question. The resuk was that as soon as the Bill was thrown into the caucus they were “ like a pack of mad dogs over it.” It looked as though the Prime Minister’s ‘‘happy family” was like the “dog without the flea.”

“ There are apparently some men in the Coalition party who have placed the welfare of their country above party, and it is a sign of a praiseworthyattitude being adopted by some of our politicians,’ said Mr G. Manning, secretary of the Workers’ Educational Asso-

ciation. “ The country must be placed before the party on every' conceivable occasion. To me the proposed amendment of the Arbitration Act is one of the most retrogressive steps ever taken by' the Parliament of New Zealand. The last time the country passed through a crisis of a similar nature to the present one, the Arbitration Court system was introduced to protect the workers from selling their services and labour power at prices not sufficient to maintain a healthy life. Now we find a reversion to the very conditions that the 1894 Act was brought in to prevent. The passing of the Bill, in my' opinion, would do more to reduce the

standing of New Zealand on the money market in England than any other measure I know of. The fact that the Dominion has been relatively' free from industrial upheavals has given confidence to the investing public at Home.” Another secretary stated that the differences at the caucus meeting were the result of hasty legislation brought forward before the feeling of the country had been tested. He fore-

shadowed that a compromise would be effected concerning the Bill, and that rural awards would be placed outside the scope of the I.C. and A. Act.