AFTER INVESTIGATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 501, 7 May 1909, Page 6

AFTER INVESTIGATION.

NEW ZEALAND LABOUR LAWS. COLONEL WEINSTOCK'S OPINION;, Labour legislation, its operation and effect, has for some time been engaging the attention of Colonel Harris Woinstock, labour commissioner of California, at present touring New Zealand. When ho landed in New Zealand from Sydney some weeks ago, ho gave a Dominion reporter some facts as to how. the labour laws of the Dominion are viowed abroad/but he declined to givo his own opinion until he had seen sufficient of the working of the labour legislation. Now he has almost oompleted his investigations, so last night he was again asked to givo judgment. This he refused to do exactly, saying that ho did not wish to express his opinion prematurely, but ho set out in a clear manner somo-.of tho pros and cons whioh will influence him in making hisreport. -■-..'. "Up, to this timo," he said,."there has been .a groat deal of misconception as to tho working of. your law,. and many, mistaken opinions havo gone, abroad as to its operation and effects. I have also found that a great many of your critics have held the law responsible' for conditions and effects of which,.so far as I can. see, it' is not the cause."..'

To what,conditions do. you refer, Coloneif asked tho reporter. Favourable or otherwise? "Well,'' was tho;. reply, ''such conditions as dimiaishing efficionoy and lessening output. Some claim that theso are the effects of the law, and, while I have had no way of proving to my'own-satisfaction that'the conditions exist; if they do it is simply a common condition that I havo found in.almost every country that I have .visited. Hence it does not seem to mo that your legislation can be responsible.. i ■'...•'. ■.;'.'-'■■' .

"Then again, those who promoted the law , expected;. that it would, absolutely prevent strikes: If bo, judging by the:facts■ that;! have had placed' before.me, that expectation has not been realised,'for I learn have been at least 17 or 18 strikes: since the law came into operation. But. despite that fact I should say that you have evidently enjoyed a higher degree of industrial peace than any other country. I have visited outside Victoria. I am not prepared to say whether the better effect is the result of the better .law. Here you have had 17 or !18 strikes in abouti 13 years, most of■'■tih'em within the last two or throe years, while, so far as lean learn in Victoria, they have had only seven or: eight ; in twelve years.' Of course I am.merely stating facts.- I am hot prepared, as! yet to. .account for them. Victoria has, there is no doubt, enjoyed a' far higher degree of industrial-'peace' than-any other, country.?' .. v . .-'■■•':•". '.'■ How'do. you think the legislation has affected the unemployment problem? ."I don't, think-it has increased unemployment," answered the Colonel. "You' would have-had as much,.iri any case, because it is oommon all the world over. There has been, 'especially during the.past year, depression in many, countries, and much more acute depression than I havo found put here." .'■' The reporter, mentioned the difficulty of enforcing the-law., ~: .In .reply, the Colonel stated that while ho had found.that the law had not.boen able to prevent Btrikos. it had .been able to inflict penalties, and had succeeded in. the greater 1 number of' cases .in these penalties into effect. For example, in the case of the meat-freezing. strikes in ; the South Island about half, the fines 'were ■collected,, whileothers were not got in because the men left tho country, travelling under an assumed name, or in some other way. "I do believe," he continued,('[that the law has' acted, and is acting,' ; as a powerful restraint, ana, according' as. the administration enforces'the penalties, strikes will become still less." - - ;In regard to the attitude of those affected by the law, the Colonel'.stated' that he;had found some labour leaders who believed it to , be detrimental' tptheibcst. interestsof ■ wageearners,' and thought; that ■ if. a' referendum' wore taken the majority of workers would vote for, its ■ abolition. . ; On, tho ,othcr hand, | some 'leading 'wag'eiearhers''held',' an opinion" exactly opposite. Ho;himself thought.tnat if' a referendum wero'taken; a majority of the workers - wouH vote for the retention of the': Aot,' because it mado for industrial peace, which the rank and file of them wanted. The wage-earners in New Zealand,- ho mentioned, ho had found to be a superior class of men,, ranking, higher, than those ho had mot in other .countries in point of intelligence,- sobriety, decency, and general well-being. This might be .attributed, to the-fact that thoy had enjoyed industrial peace for many years, and had; been_-able to work for fair wages; Tho general view of the employers, he said, was one of approval of-the Act, though many of them,complained,loudly of petty annoyances'and irritations connected with it. The amended Act was looked on with more favour r? ™ fi 3 . being more likely to accomplish.the desired end., , . ..■'-.. .•■;■■ ■-.I

';. With.regard, to the prosperity and adversity which have been laid by the different parties at the door of the Act, I think that the law is m no way responsible for either condition. You have 'prosperity because of good crops and > good prices', and you also may have, adversity ata'timo of industrial peace. -We in America have"a great amount of prosperity at tho same timo as industrial war;":-- ■■'..'-. ■;■■.■.:>■" ■'...--. . ■ • ■ like to.say in conclusion," said the Colonel, as the '.reporter, rose to leave, that; I'am delighted with your country and your people. You have a beautiful little country and a most likeable people. I have found a ., higher, degree of woll-being • hero than ■ anywhere elso-routsido of California,"' adding,; with a. smile; "you know.a Californian will stick up for his country to the death; But really I think your, people very strongly,. rese.nblo ; , Americans, ' tho same open heart f nd: open hand, and tho same ambition and : business activity." .The Colonel leaves for Auckland to-day to conclude,;his investigations. He will send his report to the Califomian. Government andthen go, on to China, Japan, tho Philippines, and the Hawaiian Islands, so that ho will not reach homo till well on in October. .."• : , "■"'.' .■'■; •:. "'■ "'.'"i