FROM CALIFORNIA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 484, 17 April 1909, Page 12

FROM CALIFORNIA.

TpSTUDYitABOURvLEbieLATION;

I Colonel H. Woinstock, Labour Commis-' sionor from California, who is touring tho world for tho purposo of searching out the truth in regard to labour legislation, in Wellington on -Wednesday, and was inter- , viewed by a Dominion reporter with regard to tho scopo of his inquiries, and also in regard to gonoral matters in California. Labour Legislation. "Wo" havo boon having a groat many strikes and lockouts in California in recent years, anil tho Government, of the State has felt that it was timo to tako a hand," he said, in" reply to a question as to how his tour camo to bo. "M'e havo heard a groat deal about your „ system of compulsory arbitration," ho continued, "so I havo como to sit'at your foot and learn. Wo have, of coursoj kept moro or loss in touch with the oporation of your compulsory arbitration laws, but lately wo havo been receiving very conflicting reports as to their success. On some sides it is said that they are a splendid success,/, and on the other hand it is stated that they aro an, outright failure. L wish to determine which is the correct "state of affairs, and profit by your experience. From what I have heard, I think we in California are just about where you were fifteen or twenty years ago in the control of labour." In Australia, the Colonel stated, he had the opportunity of meeting many of the leaders of thought and action, and it seemed to him that they were working along the lines of progress. ; In fact, the New South Wales people believed'that their moro recent legislation on labour matters was the most advanced in tho world. By picking out the best points in the Victorian and New Zealand Acts they had got a system which they believed to be, the last word on the matter. And do you think so, Colonel? aeked the reporter; ... . ( ...' ■'■, ■■ "Well. I cannot express an opinion on that point till I have seen how things stand in New Zealand. I should say that the system here is better than ;I had. heard previously, but I have not yet made any inquiry which would justify my expressing .an opinion. ,, . Questioned regarding his method of making inquiries, Colonel Weinstock stated that he should follow the plan that he had. adopted in the past,! of:interviewing all who. had any information to give, the controller of labour and the labour leader, the practical men as well as the theorist. . : .... ; .• - ■ A Land Without Labour Laws. Lr California, he stated, the State did not interfere in any way with labour disputes There was voluntary arbitration :in some cases, but they were Very rare. . Generally tho battles were fought out to the end, t< the Joes .of all concerned, ■: especially -th< general public. "In California,".:he said most enterprises, are in the hands of pri rate companies,, and-at one time we hac tramway-employees, telegraphists, and'tele phoniste all out on. strike, enough to practically paralyse industry.!' : : .... .'■■,/ When in London' Colonel Weinstock hac ajrmterview with the Hon. W. P.' Beeves and to him he mentioned that ho had hearc that some weak points had been discoveree m New Zealand's labour laws. Mr. Reeve I agreed this was so.. Difficulties; whicl: should have been anticipated, had arisen ■ i>n< point being in regard .to the enforcement bi awards,- but thesi defects were about to b< remedied by Parliament/ which was then ir session.-,.••'. ■_ ■ ;. ■, ■-.. ■ f- .- ... , The Foaling in Europe— Opposition/ .;',' I found that the feeling in' Europe."- the Colonel'went,on, "is opposed to' oompulsbn arbitration—fro'n every point of view. Thai is ;to sayj the.Vage-earners are' opposed tc it, , because they claim that the' Courts arc not in sympathy with Labour/ so that the; would get tho small. end of' the; stick, or. in other words, .the decisions'would be againsi them. The employers oppose the.idea, because they feel .that it would be' practicallj turning over;, their to.the State ft be controlled,, arididictated to bj them. •.. The Aβ-German IMinistei ior Labour represent tive.of;the.official view. , 'Ho stated.that he was well-informed on' the New '., Zealand system, but would .not' think' of adopting it so far as Germany" was concerned,* because the Uiurts could;notenforce-their'.deeisibne,.and such a state of affairs would greatly injure the prestigoof the- Government."- 0 '.■■'•'?!.- M '; iThe Allen Question. 1 ' : :" Mv ; .';.- to tho'question of Japanese-ex-clusion, Colonel Weinstock explained that'the Californiah Bill, which' caused, quite' a little nutter in diplomatic circles, was introduced at the instance of a few agitators, but; wat not adopted. It.' proposed—(l).,to prohibit aliens from becoming .landowners,' and (2) k establish Japanese children.'. So. far as exclusion "alone'was concerned, m California, 'for the..'past 20 .'years; they , had had a'Chinese Exclusion Act, 'whicli had proved.effective and.was likely to continue so. . Japanese exclusion would be arranged satisfactorily by the present Administration by negotiation with, the Japanese Government, but it was felt by the tTnited States Government that any independent action, such as the proposed legislation, bj the State of California would have a 'prejudicial effect on the diplomatic arrangements, The feeling in the country on: tho point'oi Japanese labour was not altogether a united one. Labour circles stood as one man foi the_ exclusion of all aliens, but tho horticulturists' we're divided.- A great'many of. them Favoured Asiatic labour, since they'; claimed that they could not harvest their crop's"with'. iut it, but others were entirely ODposed tc it be-rausQ they ff-lt that soorieror later tliev would have to sell or lease thoir land to the intruders, since they could not compete witl them. At present there were a large numbsi of Chinese citizens in the State. In. faot. ir inecity there waa a> lodge known as "Tie ■ons of- the Golden West;"' composed oi Chinese born in America. But these people irere not objected to, because they adapted themselves to American .conditions, endeavjurinp to become Americanised as much as possible. "The Chinere immigrants," stated colonel," as a rule are only sojourriers ivith us, and their aim is to. have:their bones buned in their native land." , •: -~ ; ;. ; Rebuilding a City. : The reporter evinced a desire to learri iomething about the -progress of < rebuilding derations in San' Francisco. : - "Well," was ;ne-reply, Vthe destruction..of San Francisco ,vas one of the greatest disasters in. history, ind the speed of its rehabilitation is the ;reatest marvel in" history. In less,, than ;hree years' time we,have, greater building icoommodation of a : better class than we had jeforo. tho-fire. All tho buildings r that arc *eing erected are of a higher class than those ihat stood before tho disaster. . It is th« narvel.of all who seo tho remarkable pro;ress that, has been made, unprecedented in Aβ history of similar catastrophies." Th« oss by the earthquake; be explained; was our qr five, million dollars—much.less than ;no consequent firo loss of about 500 million lollars. San Franciscans, by the manner in vhich they at once set about rebuilding, had iroved themselves to bo the most cheerful osers in the world.. The; administration, too, vas now much improved. r Fruit-growings A Possible Competition. ; What do you think of Australia's pokibili;ies in regard to fruit production? asked the eportor. . -,- ■ . : . . -... ■(-.- "I think they are very great," wai tho msTver. "When I was in Australia.iProessor Elwood Meado, formerly of California Jniversity; showed me over a greit many ruit farms, and I was very greatly surprised it what I saw. I found that both the qualitymd the sizo of tho fruit compared very favlurably with oiir own,,and I wrote home' to >ur people stating that while we have liry lttlo to fear from Australia. in regard \to rosh fruit, because tho han-ests are at difMr■nt times of tho year, Australia might mate is sit up and tako notice so far as dried and lanned fruit is conconiod." \ •In conclusion, Col. Weinstock made com\ mmentnry'referonco to the energy and ac-\ lvity of Wellington citizons. > \ "What is your population ?" ho asked. : The reporter gavo approximate figures. From the number of peoplo Isoojn your treets,'/ was the reply, "I should think it mis twico as largo. But, : of course, that nay bo owing to tho narrowness of the horoughfarcs, I notice that you are putting ip larger buildings, however, end that is a ;ood uiyi of proereaß.", ... .•..-.-■•.