"HEAR BOTH SIDES!"

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 811, 7 May 1910, Page 6

"HEAR BOTH SIDES!"

. OTTK INT)TJSTBIAL DISTBICT. In regard to the decision of the Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister for Labour) not to oountenance the proposal to form Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay into a separate industrial district, Mr. Pryor (general secretary to the New Zealand Employers' Association), upon being interviewed by a reporter yesterday, said:— "Great disappointment will be felt both in Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay in regard to the decision, seeing that the employers in those districts wore in favour of the change, and a number of the workers' unions also supported the alteration. With reference to the remarks made by members of the deputation which waited upon the Minister, if it were being held that because employers paid a proportion of the workers more than th© minimum rates that was a valid reason for increasing the wages provided by awards, then the employers, instead of recognising merit in the workers would, in ..order; to protect themselves, be compelled 1 aifythifig' more than the rates fixed by the Court' of Arbitration. For years past the minimum wage has been looked upon as the maximum wago, and that was advanced as a reason why it should be increased. Now that it has been proved that, the minimum wage has not been observed as the maximum wage the officials of the various unions were putting it forward as a reason for an increase in the minimum rates. It would, therefore, be seen that employers were placed in a dilemma, and as lie had just said would, in order to protect themselves, have to observe the minimum as the maximum rates. "With reference to the .Minister's decision," added Mr. Pryor, ."I should mention that it was not expected that he would give his verdict without hearing.both sides. As a matter of fact, only the previous day I received a telegram from the Hawke's Bay employers to the effect that, they desired to come to Wellington as a deputation to put their side'of the case before the Minister. • As the Minister had given his decision without hearing their side the employers would feel that they had legitimate cause for a grievance."