INDUSTRIAL CONCORD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2888, 28 September 1916, Page 9

INDUSTRIAL CONCORD

POST-WAR PROBLEMS. Addressing tho New Zealand Employ- j ers' Federation yesterday, tbo President (Sir. Shailer Weston) made a special plea for education in economics. This, he contended, would tend to secure tho rejection of false doctrines, thus ensuring harmony botween Capital and Labour, and greater industrial progress. Concerning post-war Mr. Weston said that ono point which had to ho emphasised from experience of tho past was that no great improvement in the conditions of tho people could bo obtained unless there was agreement between Capital and Labour as to tho common end for which they had to work. He compared the conditions in tho British munition works as botween February, 1915, and February of this year, and referred to the strike on tho Clyde in the earlier period. The workers struck not because of lack of loyalty, but becausb they lacked understanding of the gravity of tho situation. Through a better understanding botween employers and workers there had been an immenso improvement in tho munitions output and in tho general situation as regarding production. Ho emphasised especially the importance of education in economics. If they wero to havo satisfactory relations with labour, then the workors must bo careful not to bo raisledby men who had syndicalistic or I.W.W. leanings. Those men, who had no deep knowledgo of economics, did groat mischief by misleading tho Workers with the usual catch-ories of "wage slavery," ''class consciousness," and so on. Ileal improvement for labour would come with bettor education in tho basic principles of economies, and generally in a better understanding between themselves and tho employers. On tho one side, employers must loam that they had the best results from workers who were well treated. On tho other hand, employees must realiso that their true interests, whioh wero the samo as those of the publio as a whole, could not bo promoted by men who had syndicalistic tendencies.

_ After tho war, the president continued, the. Governments in the various parts of the Empire should not interfere with industries, but should do everything in their -power to collect information and disseminate knowledgo which would enable the resources of labour arfd capital to be fully utilised. Up to tho present there had been great waste of both labour and capital owing to lack of proper organisation and coordination. After tho war wo would probably havo still more territory under tho British flag, and more resources to develop. There would be greater need .for making tho most of our opportunities. Knowledgo was also needed to inorease the production from land already occupied. Greater attention should be paid to agricultural education. Reverting to the study of economics, Mr. AVcston said that up to the present tho University in New Zealand had not realised tho importance of this subjeot, s'hich was a fundamental in the industrial State. Tho University had imported first-clas men in mathematics and classics, but no man of eminence In economics had been introduced. It was tho duty of the Government and tho University to give more hood to this mattor than thoy had dono in the pagt. In tho discussion by dolegates attention was drawn to tho jiossibilities of the Industrial Corporation in Canterbury- That was a body.which would assist in tbo co-ordination of science and industry, and wouTd provido industrial harmony, sinco provision was made for tho representation of Labour.