The Industrial World

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20283, 18 April 1934, Page 4

The Industrial World

CONDUCTED BY OBSERVER

This column is devoted to the news of the industrial Labour movement as represented by the secretaries of the various unions whose headquarters are at the Trades Hall. Trade Union News and Views. MEETINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK. The Canterbury Drivers’ Union—Tonight, 8 p.m. The Grocers’ Assistants’ Union—Tonight, 8 p.m. The Canterbury District Council (all of Labour)—Thursday. S p.m. The Trades and Labour Council— Saturday, 8 p.m. The Painters’ Union—Monday, 7.30 p.m. The Gasworkers’ Union—Tuesday, 8 p.m. The Coachworkers’ Union—Tuesday, 8 p.m Changes in Economic Organisation. In conversation, quite recently, a British Cabinet Minister of the late Conservative Government, stated “ that the tendency in England now was for the Government to supervise the main industries of the country.” He instanced the formation of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the unitary control of the London transport services, the supply of electricity for the whole country. The demand made by the Cunard Company for financial assistance from the Government for the completion of the big liner drew from the Government the request that the Atlantic companies should amalgamate or rationalise their industry for the purpose of eliminating cut-throat competition and the waste of capital. Again, the Government demanded that the steel trade should re-organise the whole industry if protection by tariffs was to continue. On Monday last the news came through that a five-year-plan for the reorganisation of the steel industry of the Empire has been issued. It is understood that the plan has been approved by the British Treasury, and that the Government will now agree to continue the duty of 33 1-3 per cent on imported steel. This duty was imposed two years ago and was due to expire in October. The Doom of Free Competition The facts indicate that instead of individual freedom and competition being allowed full play for economic development, as in former times, a ,system of control or rationalisation is substituted. This means that unified control of the big industries will take place, but that private ownership of individual units will remain. The control of capitalism is growing fast because of the waste and disorganisation that result, and because of the depressive influence of competition on

[ the wage level and the standard of living of the workers. The trade unions have advocated this interference of the Government in the control of industry for a very long time, while the Socialists have advocated the Government ownership and control of the industries. This propaganda is now bearing good results through the influence of moral forces and economic necessity. The next step must be the ownership of industry by the State; but this will not come about unless the workers, through their unions, support the idea. The Fight For Shorter Hours. Another piece of evidence that union propaganda is now' beginning to influence other sections of the nation is the fact that the “Industrial Commission of New South Wales” has decided against the proposal of the employers of that State to increase the working week from forty-four to forty-eight hours. The president of the commission stated that “ when the judges reached their decision they were impressed with the fact that almost throughout the civilised world there was a widespread belief among economists, politicians and business men that it was desirable tc assist in overcoming the vast amount of unemployment prevalent almost everywhere; that hours of employment should be decreased and standards of forty, thirty-six and even thirty hours were advocated as well as forty-four.” The Employers’ Point of View. The employers demanded a fortyeight hours’ week because such an increase in hours would reduce costs and the selling price of goods and services, and thus bring about increased consumption and more trade, and thereby decrease the number of unemployed. In reply to the above argument, the commission stated: “It can be said with certainty that if a forty-eight hours’ week were adopted in this State a very large number of employees now in work would be thrown upon the labour market, and thus the unemployment problem would be at once intensified and the charge on the community materially increased.” Farmers’ Costs. In reference to the argument about increasing the costs of the primary producers through the reduction of hours, or that increased hours would reduce costs to the farming community, the commission replied: “It must be obvious that nothing under existing circumstances could turn these farmers {the marginal farmers) into economic wheat producers; the producers working under the greatest disadvantages may be handicapped by poor soil, their own inefficiency, the high price that they paid for land and high interest for borrowed money.” It must be encouraging for the trade unions to know that such sentiments are now expressed by such persons as composed the Industrial Commission of New South Wales.