THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2374, 15 December 1908, Page 5

THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.

GOOD CAUSE FOR SATISFACTION. LABOR LEGISLATION. The president of the Canterbury Employers’ Association, in his address at the quarterly meeting, remarked that from the results of the general election they were in a measure able to gauge the probable trend of legislation during the next three years, and also whether the mind of the Dominion was set on lines of safe- and steady progression, or whether it had been 'influenced toward- the extreme doctrine of the rabid Socialists. He thought that they had good cause for satisfaction with the manner in which til© will of the people had been expressed. It was gratifying to find that the new House was less radical in its views than any Parliament for many years past. Instead of the rabid visionaries haying increased-, there had been a considerable accession to the recognised Opposition which would ensure full and mature consideration of all legislation proposals. The strike clause embodied in recent awards of the Arbitration Court (and also in the Arbitration Act) would be very welcome to all employers, as it removed one of the greatest disabilities they had had to work under ever since the first Act was passed. They could with justice express tlieir appreciation of the fair treatment that they had received at the hands of the _ Government during the past session; He trusted that in the re-arrangement of portfolios the Premier would not take from the Hon. J. A. Millar the position of Minister for Labor, which bo seemed so qualified to fill. The past quarter had been marked by a settling dowii of labor troubles after a period of strikes and agitations. In the cases which had been before the Court, there had been a much readier acceptance of the Judge’s suggestion that the parties interested should try to settle tlieir disputes in conference. Referring to the new Arbitration Act, lie said that whilst most of them were agreed that compulsory arbitration was very far from being proved to be a sound economic principle, they would readily admit that the new Act was- the most equitable that had yet been on the statutebook, inasmuch as it was the first attempt to obtain by real conciliation that best of all settlements of disputes, namely, mutual agreements. Regarding tlie amendments of the Workers’ Compensation Act, whilst the employers’ liability had been increased in some cases ho did not anticipate that it would/bring about any advance in the rates in this brapcli of insurance risks. If ‘it did. the Employers’ Federation would no doubt tako steps to form ail accident insurance fund within its own ranks.