Jljc Jjontitrion TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 1919. A PARLIAMENT OP INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 172, 15 April 1919, Page 6

Jljc Jjontitrion TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 1919. A PARLIAMENT OP INDUSTRY

Nothing better deserves the attention of the Government at this time than the proposal of the Federation of Labour that a national conference of workers and employers should be held as soon as possible to consider "the whole position of industry in New Zealand." It will be seen from a Christchurch message in to-d'ay's news that the Federation of Labour is taking steps to forward its proposal, and the Government ought to lose no time in doing its part. The employers of the Dominion, presumably, will be only too glad to send representatives to such a conference as is proposed. Anyone who is following the course of events in Europe must realise that the question of industrial relations is hardly second to any in importance. Ultimately tho relations between employers and employed determine the stability or instability of the social fabric. The only hope for countries now menaced by Bolshevism is to strengthen the social fabric by bringing about improved conditions and an improved spirit in industry. In 'New Zealand the position happily is much less acute, out it is, nevertheless, urgently necessary to establish better relations in industry. In this favoured country the choice between industrial strife and industrial harmony is as_ definitely one betweon retrogression and progress as in European territories which are .visibly threatened with anarchy. We are spared all the worst horrors of the European situation, but here, as in Europe -and other parts of the world, the feeling is widespread that the war has made a complete break with the past, and that henceforth there must be a better, j uster, and more effectual regulation of industrial development and economic life. For practical purposes we have gone as yet little beyond a perception_ of the possibility of great and indefinite improvement in existing industrial and social conditions, and the growth of a general and quickened desire that this possibility should be realised, bub these things are all-important as paving the way for the inauguration of a new era. Sincerely following up the proposal it has now made, the Federation of Labour • will demonstrate that it is keeping abreast of the spirit of the times, and much is to be hoped from its action and from the_ fact that the employers of the Dominion, through their central organisation, had previously indicated that they were willing to meet such an overture half-way. Meeting in existing circumstances a national industrial conference admittedly will be faced at the outset by a somewhat staggering agend'a. Little more is to be hoped for at first than that a definite approach may be made_ towards a new standpoint in dealing with industrial affairs. _ The essential point to be tfetermined is whether employers and workers are ; capable of substituting combined effort for the endless friction and strife that at present obtain. If delegates at the projected conference face the broad issues before them with reasonably open minds only one answer will be possible to thls_ question. It is impossible meantime to point to any complete or comprehensive remedy for industrial grievances and industrial unrest. If this were possible there would be no need for such a conference as is now proposed, But th°re is a practical starting point for constructive deliberation in the fact that the general aim of . organised Labour as distinct from

the' extremists is one which all employers are bound to regard with sympathy. That aim is to secure an improved standard of living. Both parties in the conference should be easily able to agree that at present, little real progress is being made towards satisfying this aspiration. The progress of reform and improvement is at best patchy and unequal. Not only is it' a common thing for one section of tho community to benefit at the

expense of the rest, but the community as a whole is penalised because the industrial machine works

badly. It would be too much to expect workers and employers to at oncc attain agreement in regard to the underlying causes of industrial friction and unrest, but they should be easily able to agree that it is in their common interest to aim at effi-, ciency. Any who declined to t#ke this standpoint would frankly' declare their preference for violence instead of reason as a means of solving industrial problems. If the proposed conference shows that responsible representatives of both parties in industry are preparedto combine in promoting constructive reform it will serve a great national purpose and mark the dawn of a new and brighter era in the industrial history of tho Dominion. ' . It is difficult even to outline tho working scope and possibilities of such a joint parliament of industry for the simple reason that it would bring together men specially qualified to deal with problems which are in nature _ exceedingly complex. There is evidenco on all sides that •the useful possibilities inherent in Hitch a combination of effort are far from being as commonly recognised as they ought to be. An example which serves as well as another to bring homo the fact is an article in the current issue of tho New Zealand, Locomotive Bnnineers' Jour ml. After commenting on some leading aspects of the existing industrial situation, it observes that

Our idea of tho position is tlmt what we want is more political control of the present situation. It is, of course, recognised that there are many great national questions—education, health, and housing are leading examples—in which the wage-earning population is supremely concerned, 'and' in connection with which it has every incentive to make its weight tell with all possible effect. But in the article quoted the Locomotive Hngineers' Journal is dealing particularly with industrial problems. It advocates "more political control of the present situation'' in order that the Government may fix profits and compel tho adoption of efficient methods before increases granted to wage-earners are _ "passed on." Furthermore, it desires that a livi ing wage should be fixed and statu-

Tory provision made to advance all wages with the cost of living. Experience to show that in creating judicial tribunals to adjudicate upon disputes, adjust wages, and punish the infraction of express regulations where these are practicable, Parliament has gone about as far as it is able to go in promoting industrial reform. The notable idea ol' advancing wages with _ the cost of living is already in legislative form, and can only be regarded as farcical, since it intensifies the evil it is intended to correct. What means Parliament would take to compel the adoption of efficient methods in business and industry must be left to the imagination. On the other hand such problems and others bearing on industrial progress and communal welfare might with all confidence be referred to an industrial parliament like that now proposed and to subsidiary bodies organised on similar lines. Expert knowledge and experience would then be brought to bear on each problem raised. There would still be differences of opinion to be adjusted, but great and far-reaching benefits would undoubtedly accrue provided always thatboth parties in industry agreed to take such steps towards better organisation and efficiency as Were shown to be for the common good.