BETTER CO-OPERATION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20103, 24 November 1939, Page 11

BETTER CO-OPERATION

WORKERS AND EMPLOYEES NEED FOR ECONOMY AVERTING DISASTER (Por Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. In his presidential address to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, Mr. A. C. Mitchell referred to the full representation of workers on the war emergency committees and contrasted this with the position in 19.14.

“I like to think,” he added, “that this is not solely due to the fact that the Labour Party is the present Government of New Zealand. I believe it is true that there is a much greater spirit of mutual trust and a much stronger desire for co-operation between the employers and the workers’ organisations than there ever has been before in New Zealand."

Mr. Mitchell considered this a good augury for the future and trusted the employers’ federation would continue to do everything possible to promote still further mutual trust and confidence.

Mr. Mitchell drew attention to the increasing acceptance in all industrial countries of the idea of the partnership of capital and labour and the rights of the workers in the negotiation of terms and the conditions of their employment.

Discussing the economic situation in New Zealand, Mr. Mitchell said the high rate of expenditure had gone beyond the limits of our productive capacity, creating the necessity for the greatest possible caution. If economic disaster is to be avoided, it appeared inevitable that the country must, under these conditions, adopt again the policy of economy. He believed it was impossible to maintain the present level of expenditure in New Zealand on the present measure of production.