SEDDON WRITES TO TIMES

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1006, 26 September 1903, Page 1

SEDDON WRITES TO TIMES

o ARBITRATION AND LIGHTHEARTEDNESS.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Londoii, Sept. 24. Mr Seddon, in a long letter to the Times, declares that since the inauguration of the Arbitration Act all strikes and lock-outs have been instantly adjusted, greatly increasing the output and wages, and inducing thousands of Australians to emigrate to New Zealand.

The Times, commenting on the letter, J'says time alone will show whether capital can hear the strain of compulsory arbitration, where the tendency of the Government is entirely on tho side of tho employed. Mr Seddon’s impetuous optimism and impatience of opposition make him much too lighthearted concerning the possibilities of a pull-up. Sydney, Sept. 24. The Daily Telegraph, referring to Mr Seddon’s letter to the Times, says that if capital has not sustained any strain, it is due to the prosperityof the colony and the moderateness of its Arbitration Act, as compared with a similar measure in New South Wales and that projected by the Commonwealth .

The Telegraph declares : “If New Zealand has gained in population from Australia, she has evidently lost it to New South Wales. The return from January Ist, 1902, to June 30th of this year show that 17,800 people left this State for New Zealand, and 20,341 arrived at Sydney from that colony.”-