STRIKING SPEECH BY HON. J. A. MILLAR.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 19960, 13 December 1913, Page 5

STRIKING SPEECH BY HON. J. A. MILLAR.

After the "hot air" of Mr. Webb oavno the most striking speech of ihe

debate—that €f the Hon. J. A. Millar, cx 7 Minister for Labour and the leader

' of, the maritime strike of 1890. It :s seldom that any member of the House is listened to with the. rapt attention with "which -Mr. Millar was honoured* in extending his hearty support to the Bill. -Hd; gave the: House the benefit of his experience, as an experienced Labour

'leader of 30 years'.standing, .of strikes. "1 have- had three strikes in my time," lie said, "and~l am wondering when the workers iare going to learn the lesson and realise that strikes never do any gocd to the working-man.*' He expressed surprise that r any representative of Labour should oppose the Bill, as it supplied a missing link in our legislation. He dealt with the contention of Sir J. Ward that a secret ballot of the shareholders of companies affected by a. strike should bo taken, and pointed out that it would he" labsurd. for instance, to talk of taking a ballot of the shareholders of the Westport Ccal Co.. who were scattered all over the world.

In referring'to the strike of 1890, Mr. Millar mado an effective reply to Mr. Russell's implication that the Atkinson Government was in any way responsible for tbat strike. He pointed out that the trouble had originated in New South "Wales, .and said that no Government could possibly have avoided the spreading of the strike to New Zealand. Mr; Millar also referred to the oft reiterated statement thai the Government should have done something to settlo the strike. He asked what the Government could have done. Sat! ho (Mr. Millar) been Minister for Lab-^ir, ho did not think that he could have done anything to settle the strike. He stated that ho was credibly in|orme<i that if the whole of the workers of Aus-

tralia came out to-morrow the New Zealand employers would not consent to enter into an agrement with the Federation of Labour. Even if the strike lasted for six months, he did not see what the Government could do undur these circumstances. "I havo tho same sympathy with Labour,"' said Mr. Millar in conclusion, "as 1 h?.d 30 years ago. Iso man in No-.v Zealand would do more ior Labour today than I will, but Labour must be sane." (Hear, hear.) Mr. Millar was greeted with loud applause from tho Government benches ■as ho concluded his speech, but the Opposition members did not participate m the demonstration.