"NO NEARER PEACE."

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1556, 27 September 1912, Page 8

"NO NEARER PEACE."

9 HAS OUR LEGISLATION FAILED? LIST OF STRIKES. The following is an extract from tho annual report of the New Zealand Emplovers' Federation, which body concluded "its yearly meeting in Wellington yesterday:— I "The wave of industrial unrest which is passing over the world at the present timo aifords scope for much consideration.\ While it has to-be. conceded that in older countries there is room fof considerable improvement in the condition of labour, it would appear as if the remedying of these evils in New Zealand had brought us no nearer industrial peace." The report says, also, that during the year the Conciliation Commissioners have all been kept busy dealing with so-called "disputes," and that there has been no appreciable diminution in the number ol cases dealt with by the Arbitration Court. The following summary is'then given of the strikes which have taken place in NewZealand since the inception of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act till August 31, 1912 :— Strikes within scope of Act ' 31 Outside scope of Act 35 Total strikes 66 Disputes included in total 35 Men fully successful ' 21 Employers fully successful ■ 17 Compromise 28 Average duration (days) 12 Total strikers 259ti Men Tendered idle 4723 Loss in wages (average .£6 105.)... £30,382 Loss to Employers .£40,(3-1 Fines on strikers". .£1,917 Fines collected £1,523 Total number of strikes from year to year:—lS94 to 1905. nil; 1906, 1 ; 1907, 12;. 1908. 12; 1909, 4; 1910, 11; 1911, 15; 1912, 11; total. 66. Of this total of 66. 12 strikes wero of slaughtermen—practically one symoathetic dispute spread over the whole of tho Dominion. Six were withm the scone of the Act' and 6 outside itXThe 1907 strikes were by slaughtermen only. "In addition to tho strikes mentioned in the above return (the report continues), we are at the time of writing involved in the most serious cessation, of work New Zealand lias experienced sinco flic 1890 maritime strike. It is.quite within the mark to soy that the strikes at Wailii and Reefton have cost the companies affected and the workers out of employment not. less than £200,000, and there "is every indication that some considerable time will elanse before work, is resumed in the mines." On the subject of the Wellington tramway strike, tho report said:—"Very general regret was expressed throughout the Dominion at the action of fhe council (the City Council), as it was felt, it established an unfortunate precedent if men were allowed to comnel a local authority to remove an official who nrobably had earned tho illwill of some of the men because of carrying out his duty to his emplovers in a faithful manner. "A review of the industrial situation in New Zealand (continues tho report) ffh.ows that, although practically all tho disadvantages workers labour under in Old World countries have been made impossible by the Dominion's humane and beneficent, (if not in some measure grandmotherly legislation), there has beon comparatively more real industrial unrest in this countrv during the past year than in other, countries where the same amount of so-called 'advanced' legislation lias not been effected. - Such a state of affairs makes the nuestion 'Where ore concessions to end?' very apropos at tho present juncture of affairs. Thero is no doubt that tho restrictive conditions placed upon industry in New Zealand have had a deterrent efTect upon its expansion, and it is hoped that steps will bo taken to restore confidence in the investing public by an enrlv indication of a pause in tho infliction of further burdens upon employers of labour."