THE ARBITRATION COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 19663, 16 September 1927, Page 7

THE ARBITRATION COURT.

• TO THK EDITOB.

Sir,—“T.M.” is in what he terms his final deal with “AM.,” declares himself a worker; further on ho tells how' he has sacked men for being parasites on their fellow workers, anq those who blocker] his wheels or mclustry. If “T.M.” earned his living for thirty years by the sweat of his brow, I can’t understand where Jus wheels of industry ooiiio in,, unless he was on a road constructing job. then I would know he meant barrow wheels, and the parasites ho mentions did not wheel quick enough. Ho may-be right when he says that the only money that did him any good was what he cot by hard work or by the sweat ot his Wow. If that is so, “T.M.” is a rare exception. I know a good many who have made money by the use of their brains, but I have never heard of anyone doing other than earn a living by hard work. Commercial travellers and salesmen, etc., arc workers even though they do not produce, and their relation to the employer is the same as that of any other worker, they sell their ability or labor power. All'union secretaries or organisers are not producers of discord. The reason why a union employs a paid secretary is to stop victimisation. Most workers would like to be spoon-fed. As long as the other fellow will take sufficient interest in the union to get suitable wages and conditions of work, tho majority of workers will sit back and let the other fellow do it; thus an organiser is required. I did not say that the workers engaged in an industry were responsible for the success of it, but I will say after a life service they are entitled to more than tnc last week’s wages. . The success of a bnsir.ess, in my opinion, lies in the ability of the manager to organise and, direct his staff, and to buy and sell Ins Mods on the cheapest and dearest/markets. My reason why the Arbitration Court is a failure is because the court fixes n wage applying to certain industries, and the same class of goods manufactured by these particular industries can be imported cheaper than they can be made here. If the Minister of Customs put sufficient tariff on imported •mods that could be made in New Zealand, and so made the tariff that goods imported could pot bo sold cheaper than th/y could bo produced in New Zealand, then tho Arbitration Court would be a success. The reason why there is so much unemployment m New Zealand tq-day is because wo cannot compete with the cheap imported article. I say put a high tariff on everything we can produce in New Zealand, and admit all goods that wo cannot produce duty free; then wo shall set tho wheels of industry in New Zealand moving.—l am, etc., September 16. A.B.