The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to nil men, Of whatsoever state or persnasion, religiou or political. TUESDAY, JULY 19, 1892.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3122, 19 July 1892, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to nil men, Of whatsoever state or persnasion, religiou or political. TUESDAY, JULY 19, 1892.

In view of the attempt which it is proposed to make to get a Bill passed through Parliament to compulsorily limit the hours of labour to eight, it is well that attention should be called to the opinions of leading thinkers and statesmen on the subject. Mr .Gladstone is opposed to the measure, but we have not before us the report of his reasons for holding the opinion. We have, however, that giving those of Lord Salisbury in reply to a deputation which waited upon him and Mr Balfour on the 11th May. The deputation must be fairly taken as representative of the great mass of labour in the United Kingdom. In order that the quotations which we propose making from the Prime Minister's speenh may be understood, it is necessary to give the gist of the arguments used by the spokesmen of the deputation. Mr Shipton who introduced the deputation after remarking that the labouring classes required more time for recreation and culture said all working men were unanimous that the hours should be limited, for the additional reason that if this were so many would get employment who now filled the workhouses. Another speaker said that they considered they had a right to have the eight- ' hours day secured to them by Act and not Lie compelled to resort to , the barbarous measure of. striking.

He went on to say that many of the masters recognised that tlu> present hours were too long and would gladly consent to a reduction but were unable to do so owing to the selfishness of a minority of their own class. It was therefore to the interest of both employee and employer that legislation should take place. Two of the speakers said that all working men were unanimous that the hours Jof labour should be limited, but differed as to the proper means of bringing the reform about. The Marquis of Salisbury, in replying, said :—" I have noticed from the speeches that there was a strong conviction of a general desire for an eight-hours day, but that the conviction was by no means so strong that they were unanimous in desiring that it should bo done by Parliament. On the contrary, I think I caught more than once an expression, ' We are all agreed as to the eud, but we differ as to the means.' The two objects you have stated are very estimable. I think one of them is very much more easily attainable than the other. The object of having more time for leisure is an object with which all classes will sympathise ; and we hope that with the general advance of society, and with the progress of a better feeling between employers and employed, the opportunity will be more and more given. Ido not say that I think you will find an equally general belief that a limitation of the hours of labour will reduce the amount of misery consequent on want of employment. You say that the action of strikes is scarcely applicable, and that it involves too much injury to workmen if commonly resorted to. It is impossible not to see the injury which strikes do to the industries of the country. There is one other method of attaining the object—that is the alow, but sure and irrevocable, movement of opinion in that direction. I believe there is a steady movement of opinion in favour of such a change where economical circumstances render it possible. If that is the case, ifc is far better it should be attained in that way than that it should be attained either by the violence of strikes or by the violence of legislation. lam an utter disbeliever in the probability that anything which isin its nature violent will have permanently satisfactory results. I wantto suggest to you one of the possible difficulties which will attach, to the course you desire to pursue. In the speeches I have heard the tone has been that action by strikes is difficult, rough and dangerous, and tha t action by legislation is easy, prompt and certain. Are you quite sure about this r You will have tremendous resistance to meet. If it is true that the employers desire it, the thing will come of itself, and come about peaceably, but if you go to legislation it is upon the assumption that the employers do not desire it. If so, they will resist you, and will have on their side not only the majority of their own class, but a minority of your class. You know if two powers meet at an angle, they do not move in the line in which either started. They produce some compromise or a result which neither had in view when they started. You are trying, supposing you are able to do it, a tremendous experiment which has never been tried before. (We will risk it). You may risk it, but you are risking the lives and interests of the whole community; and you must think carefully before you exercise the great powers which you have in a manner which you and your children may have reason to regret. I think two of tho speakers, if they did not absolutely sav it, thought that those who were asking for eight hours a day would get as much wages as they are now getting for working longer. (Hear, hear). What possible ground have you for saying it? It is a most marvellous conviction; it fills me with astonishment. It assumes that there will always be tlie same amount of consumers, consuming the Bamo amount of goods. But the mass of the consumers in the world are living up to their incomes. They cannot spend more than they do, and if the thing to be sold is made dearer, there will be less of it consumed. If eight hours' work is to be paid for at tho same rate as ten—that is to say onefourth moje—you will to that extent increase the price of the goods, you will diminish the market, and consequently diminish the employment of workmen. ¥ou say that we shall not lose the trade of the country. lam very much afraid of losing the traders of the country. lam afraid that if you hamper employers by legislation ' they will go away. The temptations to manufacturers and traders to move away from this country are rapidly increasing. The temptation to the capitalist to take his factory inside a tariff wall instead of remaining, outside is enormous. He would enjoy freedom from taxation which countries impose on his goods, and the markets of England would be still open to him." We have quoted the Prime Minister at considerable length, so important do we consider it that at this juncture the opinions of one of the ablest men in Europe should be known to the people and Parliament. It must not be forgotten by those who will be apt to treat the opinions with little consideration as coming from a Tory," that Mr Gladstone is also opposed to the measure. It is to be hoped that the Bill, which is to be brought forward this session, will be shelved as being a dangerous interference with the liberty of contract, and on the further grounds that where commercial exigencies will allow, eight hours have been voluntarily adopted as a day's work in New Zealand. If the axiom laid down by Lord Salisbury, that shorter hours must involve less pay, were appreciated, the agitation for the measure would be checked to a great extent. By all means let the workingman have time, and plenty of it, for self-culture and recreation.

but an hour or so extra leisure per clay would In; bought too dearly if the cost is to be hiss employment in the aggregate and more men idle in our streets.