Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1911. LABOUR'S MIND.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 91, 19 April 1911, Page 6

Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1911. LABOUR'S MIND.

It is difficult to follow the working of Labour organisation in New Zealand, but it is not hard to perceive the bent of Labour's mind. The Post has pointed to the various divisions, of which atleast two are in sharp conflict on some points, but one touch of "millenniumism" makes them all akin. They are all prepared to work wonders with a statute-book and a bottle of ink. They can all fill in a cheque for any desired amount of economic and social bliss. From Christchurch comes news that a conference of the New Zealand Socialist Party has decided to merge the Socialist paper Commonweal with the Maoriland Worker (the organ of the Sem-ple-Laracy Federation of Labour). Simultaneously the Trades and Labour Councils' Federation of Labour has xesolved 'to "make a further effort to bring about the amalgamation of the two Federations of Labour." With the left hand (or is it the right?) the Semple body is to touch the New Zealand Socialist Party, and with the other hand the Trades and Labour Councils' forces are to be linked up, if the present ChTistchurch prayers for union are answered. A previous conference failed because the councils' delegates were wise enough not to accept the ultra-Socialist nostrum which the Semple envoys dispensed, but one knows not whether the twp organisations will agree to sink differences for the present for the cake of a single yuEpose — another twist of the industrial screw. The miners' unions^ of which the Semple Federation of Labour is mainly composed, have been steadily cancelling their registration under the Arbitration Act. The fuglemen of this Red regiment have fiercely denounced the Act, and their procedure has amounted to a determination to demand that might shall be right. The leaders of the rival party have been much milder in their doctrine. They profess to favour evolution as against revolution^ but apparently they are prepared now to swallow the bitter , words which Mr. Semple once used •against them. The Arbitration Conrt and all its works since Mr. Justice Sim became president are decried by the delegates at the Trades Councils' Conference. Various sins are charged against thejudge. The latest is the strike clause of the shearing-shed hands, award. This clause chiefly enjoins the union to do all in its power to prevent any strike by any of the workers affected by the award, and "if any strike occurs in which any members of the union take part, such strike shall be prima-facie evidence that the union has committed a breach of its duty hereunder." In such a case the operation of the award is to be suspended, and employers are to have freedom of contract. This clause has been condemned by Labour on two grounds — (1) That the judge exceeded his powers ; (2) that the clause involves two penalties on each member of the striking union for the same offence. The Act itself is confusing. The definition of strike specifies that the act of striking may be constituted by "any number of members," and a penalty is provided for any union that causes a strike. Another section then hold's* the union responsible if a "majority of members" go on strike. This reference to "majority" does not seem to square with the statutory definition of strike. The intention of the amended Act of 1908, which followed a period of trouble in West Coast coal mines, was obviously to induce unions working under an award to have a greater respect for the law. Whether in having -impressive regard for that intention Mr. Justice Sim has done more than he is entitled to do within the four corners of the ambiguous Act is a matter for the jnrists to decide, but we have no doubt that all fair-minded members of the public will have sympathy with his aim, which is to hold the scales of justice fairly between the parties. If unionists make a breach of their agreement, it is obviously fair that the provisions of the ill-treated award should be suspended and that empioyers should be at liberty to engage hands willing to work. It is also reasonable that the act of striking should be visited with a sufficient penalty, apart from the suspension of the fractured award. The priceis up to £10 for an individual member, or up to £200 for the union. We do ac-t ccc 4liat< tbia is a double punish-

meat for the same offence in the sense that the hostile critics have used the terms. A Nautical Court which fines a master mariner £50 and suspends his. certificate for twelve months does not consider that it is giving him two separate punishmente for the same offence. The basic idea is one adequate penalty, in two denominations instead of a single larger oneEmployers deny that Mr. Jnsfic&Sim has favoured them against the workers. The New Zealand Employers' Federations last annual report submitted that whatever Labour might say to the contrary, the outstanding fact to the employers was that the conditions governing their business were becoming more and more restrictive and wages were ever on the increase. Labour seems to have only one idea about arbitration — that it is good only as long as it concedes the bulk of Labour's demands. If the unionists are not satisfied with the court's adjustment, after hearing the evidence, not of one side only, but both sides, then the air is troubled with a rumble and clamour against Mt. Justice Sim. Mi\ Justice Chapman was similarly attacked. The complainants have not put any convincing case before the public. They expect New Zealand to listen favourably to unfair allegations and innuendoes against a man whose position constrains him to accept the taunts in silence. The conference has put itself in an unenviable light. For all their veiled threats, the partisans 'assembled at Christchnxch cannot long enjoy any power which chance or sudden strategy may enable them to' snatch unless they have a solid backing of public opinion, and we are sure that the public have no respect for the methods which the conference has employed.