LAW REDUCED TO FARCE

Chronicle (Levin), 20 December 1946, Page 7

LAW REDUCED TO FARCE

-Press Association

Why Mr. Seott Handed In His Resignation

By Telearavh-

NEW PLYMOUTH, Dec. 19. Tendcring his resignation from thc New Zealand Dairy Board to tlie Minis ter of Agriculture because of the Governnient 's action in aitcring tlie schedule of the Factories Act in the faee of the domands of the dairy factory einployees, the Governnient nomiuee on the board, Mr. W. E. Seott, Kapuni, contended that what has becn done must reduce to a farce the liulus trial Conciliation and Arbitration Act and encourage la wlessness. In his letter to the Minister Mr. Seott stated: — "1 have been informed that the ntodilication of tlie second schedule ot the Factories Act has beeu revoked. The elrect of this will be to conipel dairy factory einployees to pav double rates to factory einployees for work done on Sundays as part of a 40-houi week, in lieu of rate and a-half as at present. "It appears to me that the Government has adopted this nieans of meeting part of the extraordinary deniaiidiof a section of dairy factory einployees, made in an unlawful nianner, under threat to strike, while a dispute is sub 'judico ( in conciliation proceedings. What lnis been done must inescapably reduce to a farce the Industrial Con ciliation aud Arbitration Act and en courage lawlessnoss. "I think the Governnient, as well arthe industrv, is well aware of my strongly lield opinion that our natiotial oconoiny cannot stand thc straiu ot payiuent of extremc penal rates for essential work performed on any day as part of a nonnal 40-liour week's work, and I have strenuously endeavoured to persuado dairy farmers not to press for produce prices lixed on a siniilar basis. " It is now no longer possible for ni>' to logically take up that attitudc with farmers, and I regret verv much to lind that as a result of the Governnient present action my position in the dairy industrv as Governnient nominec on , the Kew Zealand Dairy Board has ! become unteuable. "1 must therefore ask vou to accept my resignation as a member of th' Dairy Board as from December . |1946.'" Because the position was so delicate \ hc did not wisli to make any further ' stateineut or ad(l to the reas.ons he had ' given for retiring tffrom the Dairy Board, said Mr. Seott, wlien interview',ed after his return to Kapuni. He said, i however, that he had not made any lnenlion of a ''workers' ultimatum ' in his slatement. Theie had been no written ultimatum . made by the workers, and the Kew Zeulaml Employers' Federation did not roeognise anv communication other 'than written. A strike or an ultimatum ! issued while conciliation proceedings | wero being ellected was illegal, hc • added. H>s resignation had been a mattor oi ' principle, Mr. Seott said. He now had (•[ no /furfher •.business with the Dairy i Board nor part in the conciliation j arrangemonts.