PEACE PROSPECTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1917, 27 November 1913, Page 8

PEACE PROSPECTS.

STRIKE TALK IN THE HOUSE A BELATEQ SUGGESTION. WISKH COUNSELS I'REVAILING. Iho strike was again the subject of question and reply in the House of Representatives yesterday. Sir J Ward (Leader of the Opposition; said that he wanted to make a tusKesiion or rather speak to the Prime -> ."lister in regard to the present imius■nal trouble, lb was not (loin- it i„ - ui.v pany spirit, and had not attempted, inside or outside the House, to make party capital out of this inforunate struggle. The huge loss H,"tX <P arter o, a million sterling per week, fere.. MV J 10 ?"™* materially dif- ,' •' i,0 ". ,v1K!t ,. ,t "' ils wlicn ho last .I.oltioned tho subject in the House. Jhe l„,ne Minister: Yes, it is , aa . unally unmoved. . &n;.J. Ward said that the loss was 7>e~ iiKbornebythow-holeeommunitv.'lV incurred by t| lo s |,i, )Mvncrs ' u bf passed „„ io the public later, in the "ItaiJf ot higher freights or f'-,re Aftacarefully thinking the matter over ho considered it Ins duly and that of other members to devise some means of bringing about a. settlement hist to tho employers and just to the workers. Both suiuo s.iou-.tl be prepared to submit their dispute to an indencndent tribunal He ■suggested that the Prime Minister should ask both sides to submit' tho dispute unconditionally to the arbitrament of Sir'Joslm.-i Williams, who had the confidence of the whole of the people of I\ew Zealand in the highest degree, and was a just, far-seeing, and fearless .fudge. If either or both sides declined to accent this arbitration proposal it would be reasonable to assume that t.-iey were intent on securing more than justice. Ho Iml little doubt tliat Sir •Joshua Williams would accent the office of arbitrator. It would "bo a proper course for the whole of the unions on strike to go back to work pe.ndinothe decision of the arbitration tribunal? He had not boiui prompted by any employer, worker, striker, or member of i arliarnent to make this suggestion.

Prime Minister Reviews the Position. The Prime Minister said that he was very glad to have the assurance of tho Leader of 'die Opposition that ho had not made this suggestion from anv party point of view, and ho accepted that assurance. The Government wero Hilly seized ot the grave rospolisibilitv resting upon their shoulders in connection with tho industrial difficulty irom which the country was sulfcring. I'iie Government were aware also of the serious loss being incurred daily or weekly while the tvouulo lasted, ' Ho asked the lion, gentleman, however, to consider the diherenco in the state of tilings to-day and a fortnight or threo weeks ago. 'J brce weeks ago the ports wero closed, and in many centres no business was being done, and tho jjooplo were in a state of panic. To-day the ports were open, inward mid outward cargo was being dealt with, and business was rapidly assuming normal conditions. A telegram which ho had received that day from a man holding a Ingn position in Auckland contained'an assurance that tho strike was practically at an end there. He was glad to have that news, and to convoy jtTto tho House. Tho Leader of the Opposition suggested that a special tribunal should be set up to, deal with this diliiculty and that Sir Joshua Williams should be asked to adjudicate upon it. It was a .rather remarkable coincidence that ot 0110 of the conferences which he presided over a month ago he made the very same suggestion.

Sir Joseph Ward; It ought to be accepted. Mr. I-lanan: A very good suggestion. Mr. Massoy said that what he Ind suggested was that either Sir Joshua \\iihams or two Judges should he asked to arbitrate. The suggestion was not accepted by either of tho two parlies to the dispute. Conferences held since had led to little result except, perhaps, that satisfactory arrangements would be made to prevent a recurrence of vhtsn difficulties so far as waterside won; was concerned. He would refer the lion, gentleman to an answer he iiad given on that day's Order Paper to a question by Mr. Yoileh. It read as iollows:—

"Hie Government will ask Parliament to agree to legislation which it is hoped will prevent or discourage strikes or lockouts in tho iuture; but so far as the present strike is concerned moderate counsels and wiser methods are now prevailing, and there are strong indications that industrial peace will soon be restored. With an intimate knowledge of the diliic-ultv tiro Government do not consider that at tins stage the setting-up of a tribunal as suggested would expedite a settlement, but that it might possibly nave the opposite effect, Nearly a month ago the Government offered the principal parties to the dispute to appoint one or two Supremo Court .Judges as arbitrators, but die oiler was not accepted. Tho lesson ot the strike j„ that, while sane unionism is decidedly useful and worthy of encouragement, syndicalism and the doctrines of the i.,\.W. are detrimental to the interests of all parties and all sections. Ml the community." Ax™; mat is t!lc doctrille rf The Primo Minister: The lion, memberiud better put ids question o ™tL Older Paper, and i. will a „p, )iv }•', bo -o "r .frf tio " h > ""«"» «* ouok or pamphlet. -J'"?- 1 '?"°, Jlillis ter continued that jho dispute had now g 0 , !0 bevoad the Sir?. 7STL- *%& :-!S. ,^*« i *:,i.:!?.r*r <>rs \'„ '„„+; I ' ,m,( - Ul '". ) y ihu producers. .\o settlement would be satisfactory winch did not prevent, as a, " s ••,»l, I? r J 1 loroov f» »» settlement v.oi.'ld lu satisfactory which did not safo<licds, ot men who ] m d, since tn o commencement of the strike, joined Arbitution unions. H,-. s j llrm ,] v j, opc(1 ljmt wiwr counsels would prevail. At proWilt here Kciv .strong- indications in that direct ion, and ho hoped that before Oinstmas tire industrial difficulty from waicli the country now suffered would be a thing oS tho past. i M 4i - V '- C ; } Vcl,i ' askcd kavo to speak by tho indulgence of the House, but was refused. He mado u remark ahou', "political cowardice on the other side." Mr. Nosworthy called the Speaker's attention to the remark. Mr Speaker ordered Mr. Webb to withdraw it. -Air. Weiili: Well, it is true, Air. Speaker. (Cries of "Order!") Mr. Speaker: I will ask the lion, member to withdraw it. Mr. Webb: Very well, Mr. Speaker, I will withdraw it, but Here Air, Webb was interrupted by cries of "Order" and sat down. Later, when replies to questions wero being discussed Mr. AYobb referred to' the answer given by the Prime Minister to Mr. Voitoh.' 1 Ho said that (ho whole answer showed him thai the Government had no desire In settle the difficulty, and was an insiill. to organised labour. II the Government had spent one-third as much in endeavouring io promote a settlement as in organising n special force, the-strike would have been settled. He asserted that the Government took instructions from the Fanners' Union and the Huiplo; crs' Federation.