Labour Administration.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 23, 7 June 1911, Page 5

Labour Administration.

The Hon. J. A. Millar's challenge to Labour, to throw the Labour Department overiioard if tlie unions were not satisfied with its administration, was last week made the subject of an interview ■by a ‘’.Star” reporter with Mr. D. Goldie, president of the Auckland Employers’ Association. Mr. Goldie stated that he had read the passage-at-arms between the Minister and Mr. Moriarty, secretary of the Furniture Makers’ Union. “I am pleased,” said Mr. Goldie, "with the attitude taken up by the Minister when he states that he is prepared to carry out Ithe Act. but not to let the unions do as ihey liked. What I fear, and what evidently the Minister knows, is that some agitators are inclined to press the Government, through the Department of Labour, to so persecute and harass the employer that his life becomes a burden, and in the enl the men themselves suffer through the employer being driven in self-defence to import rather than to manufacture goods under such conditions. It is extremely interesting in the interview to find such a reliable and unselfish man as Mr. Moriarty claims to be, telling us that two leading secretaries of labour unions had told him that, he ■was an absolute fool to -fight the Government. because he had lost all chance of a Government position; they were looking for such positions themselves, as they did not propose to be union secretaries all their lives. Statements such ns these (continued Mr. Goldie) should ©pen the eyes of the working men, who iby their contributions are maintaining Buch, to th? fact that the agitator has dot, in manv instances, their true welfare at heart, but is only using them to live without toil in the meantime, with the further expectation that in the end he will be added t. the already enormous army of civil servants who are maintained very largely by the toil of the worker. Evidence is forthcoming, not only in New Zealand, but also in the Commonwealth. that the ordinary ■worker is getting tired of the present •demands of such men. and is looking forward to a more reasonable and sane way ©f settling their differences than by that now in existence.” Several prominent Labour men were approached this morning regarding the matter, but they declined to make any statement. In one instance the interviewer was informed that Mr. Moriarty's Views stood for the attitude of the union? towards the Department.