WANGANUI EMPLOYERS’ ASSOCIATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18973, 26 March 1924, Page 11

WANGANUI EMPLOYERS’ ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING. ADDRESS BY MR. B. L. HAMMOND The annual meeting of the Wanganui Employers’ Association wag held last evening. Mr. A. G. Bigneli presided over a large attendance. Several apologies for absence were received, including one from Mr. T. O. Bishop, secretary of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, which was represented by Mr. B. L. Hammond, assistantsecretary, CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. i In moving the adoption of the annual report, Mr. Bigncll congratulated the association upon its work for the year, and also upon the return that the district, and the Dominion as a whole, was making towards the stable conditions which existed before the war. He referred to the good prices farmers had received for their produce, and thought another good year, in regard to all stable products, might be looked forward to. Regarding labour troubles, Mr. Bignell thought conditions throughout the Dominion were steadily improving. In any case the man who was trying to better his position was generally a good type of man. It was natural for men to strive to improve their conditions in life, and, provided their efforts were conducted with justice, no exception could be taken. As far as Wanganui was concerned, the town and district had had its share of prosperity. Wanganui had beautiful surrounding district, and there was nothing to compare with it either in New Zealand or even in Ausralia. Regarding the New Zealand Federation of Employers, the speaker wa s much impressed with the grasp Mr. Bishop and Mr. Hammond had of the affairs and interests of the federation, of which they were the chief executive officers. The work done by these officials was deserving of every praise. Other trades were coming in, and it was intended to appoint another official to help bear the burden of the work. Mr. Bigneli expressed his desire that another president of the Wanganui Association should be appointed because he would probably have to spend a considerable portion of the year out of town. He thought the honour should go round and hoped that new blood would take the position. The annual report and balancesheet were adopted. ANNUAL LEVY. In order to improve the finances of the association, and to enable additional clerical assistance to be employed, it was decided to make a levy of fifty per cent, upon the annual subscription. In speaking upon this motion, the secretary, Mr. A. Weekes, said the association was capable ot great expansion in the way of additional members. More secretarial assistance was essential in order to develop the association. ELECTION OF OFFICERS President: Mr. A. G. Bigneli; vicepresident: Mr. Alf, Willis; executive committee: Messrs Jas. Murray, N. Meuli, C. J. McCarthy, Jas. Hodson, H. Hooker, T. E. Thomas, Geo. Bennett, A. E. Rankin, Jas. Patterson, G. F. Newsome, R. G. McNiven, H. C. Price, W. M. Rennie, W. Brown, V. Marks, and S. Kernohan. Auditor: Mr. W. Hall. EXECUTIVE THANKED. A hearty vote of thanks wag carried unanimously in record of the good work carried out by the executive during the previous year. ADDRESS BY MR. HAMMOND.

The chairman introduced to the meeting Mr B. L. Hammond," assistautsecretary of the N.Z. Employers’ Federation.

Mr. B. L. Hammond, assistant-secre-tary to the New Zealand Employers' Federation, on behalf of that organisation extended congratulations to the local association upon the satisfactory results achieved during the past year. Employers throughout New Zealand were particularly indebted to the president of the Wanganui Employers’ Association, Mr. Bigneli, for the active interest he had taken in the matter of securing the services of Mr. T. Shailer Weston as president of the Federation for a further term, and thanks were also due to the secretary, Mr. Weekes, for his valuable work in that connection. But for their efforts it was more than probable that the services of Mr. Weston would have been lost to the employers, and an irreparable loss sustained by them. In urging employers throughout the Dominion to organise Mr. Hammond emphasised the growing need for unity. Industry to-day was severely handicapped by restrictions largely brought about by employers themselves through their apathy towards organisations formed *for the protection of their own interests. Employers’ associations were not aggressive organisations. They were not formed with the object of fighting labour. One of the main objects of such associations was to promote goodwill between emplyers and employees, such protection was not being sought at the expense f the workers, or any other section of the community. It was just as much the purpose of employers’ associations to bring employers to realise their responsibility towards their employees as it was to prevent employees from disregarding their responsibilities to their employers. Ninty-flve per cent, of the employers were prepared to give a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work and ho believed ninety-five per cent, of the workers were prepared to render a fair day’s service for a fair day’s pay, but unfortunately awards of the Arbitration Court were necessary to discipline the other five per cent, on both aides. Many employers were opposed to Trades Unionism. That attitude re-

suited from a failure to distinguish between sane unionism and extreme unionism. The unionism on the employers’ side was no different in principle from that on the workers’ side, but the difference arose in the administration. His remarks were not to be construed as in any way reflecting upon individuals or upon Wanganui employers in particular. In actual fact the employers'in the Wanganui district evidenced a greater sense of responsibility than did other districts.

Speaking of employers generally, they did not fully appreciate the value of Employers’ Associations. It was a matter for regret that there were many employers who were content to play a lone hand, and let the other fellow light their cause, and bear the expense of doing so. These same employers were only too happy to benefit from the advantages secured through organisations, and only too ready to criticise when things did not go just as they would have liked. Constructive criticism was to be welcomed af all times, but much of the criticism wag destructive rather than helpful. Another class of employer comprised those whose vision was consciously or unconsciously restricted to their own particular business. They used their shop windows as spectacles, and failed to view matters from the broader standpoint expected of them. Then again there were others who could only assess values in .£. s. d. These elasse 3 were almost exclusively confined to the non-unionists although admittedly there were many non-unionist employers who were honestly such through their not having had opportunity ot knowing what employers' associations were doing for them.

In the matter of organisation the workers could show employers many points. They acted with unanimity, and with one single aim and object, and by doing so had scored time and time again off the employers. Had employers a decade ago realised the use for organisation, and acted accordingly, they would have been spared many of the anxieties which they suffered to-day in the conduct of their businesses. The Arbitration system had been a “fair y godmother” to the workers, and none knew it better than they themselves. Primarily the procedure was designed to prevent sweating, and secure to the worker that to which he was justly entitled. Later the workers set out to secure a living wage, and again they achieved their object by means of the Court. Encouraged by their success in that direction their next effort was to secure a betterment of their standard of living, and again the system stood to them. Up to that point he hadn’t any fault to find with the motives of the workers, but much could be said of the methods employed in pursuing them. However, to-day the position had become serious. The workers were now endeavouring to use the Arbitration Court as a means of creating a standard of living which industry did not warrant, and it was against taht abuse that employers should organise. For many years past the workers had made steady yet substantial progress, but sooner or later a halt would have to be called. When that time arrived discontent an<l unrest would appear, ami employerg would fare badly if they were not then organised.

Without trenching upon politics he would point out that the tendency of modern Governments was to placate Labour whether it was a wf ,e move or not to do so was a matter which employers could decide for themselves. The reeent eve.nts in Home politics was the handwriting on the wall which employers would do well to heed, whilst it would require considerable courage to predict the exact time when that condition of affair s would arise in this Dominion, no one but a fool would assert that it will never arise. Continued indifference on the part of employers towards organisation would merely serve to hasten the advent of Labour to the Treasury Benches, and should that occasion arise whilst employers were still disorganised they would have to share the responsibility for any further restrictions imposed upon them in the conduct of their businesses. Only quite recently awards have been flagrantly broken, and the law of the land flouted. In one instance a prosecution was taken and the Government saw fit to interfere with the administration of justice by reducing the penalties inflicted. At the very time that action was taken another strike in the same industry was in progress, and a fortnight later still another. On the two occasions last referred to the award of the Court was 1 broken and the law flouted. ’ No penalties were exacted, but what was

more serious still, in the larger of the two disputes the workers Secured all they asked for. Our Arbitration system left much to be desired from the employers’ point of view, but whilst it remained the constitutional means of settling disputes, it behoved the government to see that its awards were respected by both employers and workers alike. The most employers had learned to expect from the Arbitration Court was no more than stabilised conditions but it was doubtful whether even these could be expected unless parties were forced to respect awards. If employers could correctly interpret for themselves the drift of industrial affairs during the past few years ,there would be little need to continually stress the importance of organisation. They would see for themselves that the tendency Of legislationi and awards had been in the direction of curtailing the employers’ privileges, and imposing still further restrictions upon them, and if this drift were to be prevented employers would require to cast aside parochialism, and trade jealousies in favour of unity of action irrespective of minor considerations.