N.Z. FARMERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20109, 30 March 1928, Page 7

N.Z. FARMERS

VITAL TO PROSPERITY Stelement by Mr Polson at Industrial Conference SUGGESTED ARBITRATION AMENDMENT. [ Per Pi ess Association. ] WELLINGTON, Alarch 29. In a statement on behalf or the New Zealand Farmers Union placed before the industrial conference to-day by Air W. J. Polson, president, an amendment is suggested to the Arbitration Act as follows:

(a) To make the penalty of the breach of the “preference to union>ts” clause more effective.

(b) To give third parties substantial interests in any dispute c.g., the primary producers in the freezing industry dispute of two years ago, the right to appear before the Court. (c) In making the award, ability of the industry concerned to bear an award should be taken into consideration.

(d) That where possible the principle of piece work be adopted. (c) That farmers and those engaged in related occupations, c.g-, a freezing company, which are in the main subject to prices that arc realised on the world’s markets, should receive exemption from the Arbitration Court awards.

Discussing the position of the farmers, Air Polson saio: “The essence of the unions’ contention is that farming is (a) vital to national prosperity; (b) quite unsuited to the standardised methods of working; (c) dependent on weather; (d) indefinitely varied as to crops, processes, soil, locality, trans-

port ami markets; (e) dependent on a market which i? situated abroad, where the costs cannot be passed on; (f) in a difficult and precarious condition at the present time and less able to bear harrassing restrictions than at any previous time in our history; (g) unable to pass on additonal costs occasioned by interferences of the Arbitration

The opinion was expressed that the Court should consist of three judges of Supreme Court rank. During a discussion on the papers read by the professors, Professor Belshaw replied to criticism of his statement as to the number of land transfers and contended official figures showed that he had boon conservative rather than extravagant. One speakef expressed the opinion that Prof. Bel shaw’s was the most constructive doeu ment the conference had yet had before it. Professor Tasker replying to numerous questions, said he wished to combat the argument that the Arbitraion Court could be used as the deciding factor in the propoitions of the distribution number of the small, but very definite stipulations of the court. It undoubtedly hampered management. For three years before the present phase of unemployment, statistics showed the number of immigrants hud decreased. Immigration alone was not the cauge of unemployment.

Following Air Polson’s statement papers were delivered by Mr W. Nash on behalf or the delegation representing the workers) and Mr H. D. Acland (on behalf of the New Zealand bheep-farmers’ and Owners’ Federation).

An agreement was arrived at in the first matter and regarding the second a report will be furnished by tne Parliamentary committee to-morrow moru-

it was decided that the conference adjourn to-morrow night until April 18, the personnel of the committees to be announced before the rising. Voluntary Arbitration. The substitution of a system of voluntary arbitration for the compulsory I clauses of the present Act was suggested in the paper delivered before me conference by Air Acland. “I wish to stress the fact that uiy federation is not now, nur ever has been oxiposed to arbitration iu cases uf industrial or auy other disputes,” he said, “but we have steadfastly refused to admit lhe soundness of the underlying principle of the present act, wliiun provides for a compulsory fixation of conditions in industry aud costs of production by a tribunal clothed witu statutory authority, and under which, in actual practice, compulsion can be enforced on one party only.

“The unfortunate results of the application of this uusouna principle have been increasingly apparent to us over a long pt riod of years and the cumulative clltct of compulsory fixation of production costs, irrespective of the selling value of the product or the labour, is to throw out uf balance our whole economic system. The primary producers, having gradually lost that margin of profit and security of 'position which was available to them in pre-war days, and as practically the whole of our national income comes from the land, it will be obvious that this question must be dealt with in the interests of the whole community. ‘ ‘ While it has only been found possible in a few cases to frame awards for the farming industry, the indirect effect of the fixing costs of producing within the Dominion has been detrimental to the primary producers generally, as we cannot pass excessive costs on, being dependent on the world’s .parity for our prices. “1 may say that during the war period our experience with the workers’ representatives was a very happy one, agreements being made which were satisfactory to both parties, each recognising the needs of the other under the special circumstances, and we are of opinion that if the same spirit of conciliation and goodwill which obtained during that period could be assured in the future, that the difficulties would be reduced to a negligible quantity, if not entirely eliminated,” he concluded.