The Dominion.. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1913. AN IMPOSSIBLE PROPOSAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1918, 28 November 1913, Page 6

The Dominion.. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1913. AN IMPOSSIBLE PROPOSAL.

In one of his speeches in the House of Representatives in reference to the present industrial trouble the Prime Minister declared that whan the time for settlement came the interests of "the jjreat third party"— tlic general public—would have to lie given the fullest consideration. The strike lias caused very serious loss and much inconvenience tu the whole community, and the public will certainly not be content with anything short of a lasting solution of the difficulty. A makeshift arrangement between the parties which would only bring about a temporary cessation of hostilities will not give satisfaction, for it would be intolerable to leave the Federation of Labour, or anyone else, in a position to start the battle over again, and disorganise the commerce and industries of the country once more. It would bo infinitely better to allow the struggle to go on to a definite conclusion, than to agree to a patched-up peace, leaving the underlying elements of discord ready to break out again at any moment It is in the interests of employers and workmen, and also of the general public, that the root of the evil should be destroyed, for only in this way can any reasonable guarantee be given that there will be no recurrence of the trouble for many years to come. The present strike would bo a blessing in disguise i£ it resulted in a settlement that would be a permanent solution of the whole problem of waterside labour, doing justice to. the legitimate demands of the workers and relieving the employers from the ever-present fear that the regular work on the wharves may at any moment be interrupted > at- the bidding of some irresponsible body of agitators.

The suggestion put forward by Sin Joseph Ward that the present dispute should be submitted unreservedly to the decision of his Honour Sir Joshua Williams, P.C., is not a new one, and it is at the present stage of affairs a very mischievous one. It is calculated to encourage the strikers to believe that an easy way out of the trouble will be found for them if they hold out long enough,- whereas for obvious reasons the Defence Committee, representing the farming and employing interests, could not possibly agree to such a proposal. Its effect, therefore, is to encourage the strikers to continue idle. The Federation of Labour is, of course, willing lo accept Sir Joseph Ward's suggestion because it is in desperate straits, and is very anxious to secure a breathing space with a view of retaining the power of stirring up fresh strife on a more favourable occasion. The present trial of strength was inevitable. Long before the existiii" trouble commenced it was generally understood that preparations were being made by' the leaders of the Federation for a- great struggle, but the action of the Wellington watcrsidcrs in breaking their agreement precipitated the conflict before the Federation was quite ready. They now know tlio,y> are beaten, and are eager for a truce; and they are seizing hold of Sir Joseph Ward's proposal like a drowning man grasps,at a- straw. The whole country has the ■greatest confidence in the ability and impartiality of Sin Joshua 'Williams, and it is no slight on him lo reject the suggestion of the Leader of the Opposition: but it would be a slight on the Arbitration Court and its Judge if they were deliberately set aside and a special tribunal appointed to do their work. The Arbitration Court; provides lite necessary machinery to deal with industrial

disputes, and if would be a most improper thing for the Government to make an exception in the ca.se of Iha watersiders by asking Sir Joshua Wiu.i.vus to act as arbitrator between the Federation of Labour and the employers. The Federation leaders state tJi.it they have always been willing to invoke an impartial and intelligent tribunal to Six the terms upon which the present trouble should lie terminated, and the obvious reply to this is that such a tribunal already exists in the Arbitration Court, which has been established by the community, through its representatives in Parliament, for the express purpose of dealing with industrial disputes. Once more il_ is a case of the Red Federation against the community. The State—that is the people oi New Zealand—has declared that these disputes shall be settled by the Arbitration Court; but th« Federation refuses to recognise this Court, and asks for a special tribunal to hear the waterside workers' case.

There'is no way of getting over the plain facts that a new Waterside Workers' Union has been established ia Wellington under the Arbitration Act, and that it has now considerably over a thousand members. Similar unions have been established in other ports, and no settlement of the present dispute can be accepted by the employers that does not make full allowance for the new situation that has arisen. The Arbitrniionist workmen are nowin possession, and there can be no going uack to the old state of affairs. The Federation of Labour and those men who arc foolish enough to submit to the tyranny which it has tried to set up may of course decline to have anything to do with the Arbitration, Court; but the employers and the public are determined -to put an end, once for all, to the domination of these revolutionary agitators, and the vast majorityof the workers are also disgusted with the reign of terror which the Federation has attempted to establish. After the strike has run its course the whole problem of waterside work will have to be reconsidered, and a new and better era must be inaugurated. The Prime Minister has made the first definite move in this direction by issuing a circular containing a number of valuable suggestions for the. purpose of improving i the conditions of wharf ■ labourers. j There can. be no doubt that the preI sent system is unsatisfactory, and it needs to be completely remodelled. The whole matter should be thoroughly investigated in order to see what improvements can be made from the points of view of both employer and employee, and of the general public. The present is a most opportune time for making a definite step forward, and the Piume Minister s circular contains some, guiding principles for a far-reaching reorganisation scheme. In the mean time, howcvcr._ it is not in. the interests of the public nor of the strikers that politicians or anyone else should encourage the idea, that there can he any basis of settlement of the present trouble outside the Arbitration Court. Such suggestions cannot possibly do any good, Jmt, on the contrary, they do a good deal of mischief by raising false hopes amongst the strikers and so encourage them to persist in their efforts to bludgeon the community into submission.