WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(Our Special Correspondent). INDUSTRIAL UNREST. THE LABOUR PROBLEM. WELLINGTON; Jan. 22. Rightly or wrongly, there is ah impression abroad among employers and their sympathisers that serious labour troubles are brewing. The representatives of the workers are extremely reticent always, and if they say anything at all upon this subject it is rather to protest they are doing their best to avert an upheaval than to give any assurance such an upheaval will not occur. The initiative, if trouble is to oome, seems to lie with the miners, but if they should go out they would be speedily followed by the transport workers and the members of other militant unions. The restraining influence so far as the men are concerned is the knowledge that the weight of public opinion is against them and that no funds are available for a prolonged .struggle or even for a short and decisive one.

THE (EMPLOYERS’ CLAIM. Seen to-day a large employer of labour, whose business would be very gravely affected by even a brief interruption of the transport services, a aid he had gone into the men’s grievances very carefully and with a desire to be quite unbiassed by his .own interests, and had satisfied himself that on the score of wages and hours there was no good cause for complaint. The increased pay, speaking generally, had kept pace with the increased cost of living, and there had been Ho disposition on the part of the employers to lengthen the horn's without adequate recognition. There were difficulties in connection

with the housing problem, however, which imposed much inconvenience, and even suffering, upon the workers and their families, and until these were removed by some State Or municipal effort the position would remaiu unsatisfactory. THE WORKERS’ ATTITUDE. The general attitude of the average worker towards the existing conditions is one of dull indifference. He is being constantly told he is not receiving a fair share of the products of his labour and he honestly believes the capitalists are treating him badly and the newspapers habitually misrepresenting him; but iu spite of all this he is daily becoming less disposed towards strikes and better inclined. towards political

and constitutional action. The average worker, of course, is only ,a private in the labour army, and his experience of industrial strife is that he pays the piper while his officers call the tune. The organisation to which he belongs may .be democratic enough in letter, ■but it is flagrantly . bureaucratic iu spirit. These are the influences that are making liim more and more of a constitutionalist, and less and less of 'an anarchist. THE SILVER LINING.

it is perfectly safe to say the rank and iile of the labour arm y wish to adjust their differences with, the employers without resort to direct action. This is one of the most hopeful facts in connection with the situation. Another is tlie appearance of an increased number of Labour Members in the House of Representatives. Nothing was more, obvious in the last parliament than the sobering influence of responsibility and knowledge upon Mr i’oter Eraser and Mr Robert Semple, and even upon Mr

Harry Holland. Mr Fraser and Mr Semple speedily recognised tlie advantages the representative in Parliament possessed over the agitator iii the street and quickly adapted themselves to their fuller opportunities. Mr Holland had a reputation to sustain and he did his best to sustain it. But Parliament is going to provide' the safetly-valve for Labour unrest, and Parliament need be none the jworse for the service.