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Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1923, Page 2

Till lefereneo on Monday m tlii -- eoltiniu to the very ahlw address hy Mr T. Sluiiler Weston before the Employes’ Federation at Wellington, did not. exhaust his review ol the industrial situation of New Zealand. On that important subject he .aid that Labour on the whole lias assisted the country's piogicss t,maids recovery during flic year hy abstaining Iroin strikes ami stoppages and hy continuing; to furnish steady and continuous work. The longer headed of the Labour leaden, mi: - 1. have realised what the reports 111 n. all countries, except the United States, show that Labour in New Zealand has- suheied a less pmpoitiolisto lediietb t. in money wages than anywhere , Ise. The tendency of money w ages in New Zealand is now towards st.i'urMisat.ioti. 11 the present rates of lnoiie' wages can he maintained this, taken with tlm drop in |. rices ol uta tin tart ured narle- and act jeudiicts which .-.reins inevitable in tile inline. will lnciui e. substantia! advance in real wages Mid a permanent rise in the standard ol liting in this Dominion. Bents, too, .should tend to fall in the future mice the present activity in new building begins to overtake arrears. This happy result is, however, absolutely dependent upon two factors. First, employers will have to give full aU’entinu to the adoption of the most improved processes of manufacture nod methods of production and distribution practicable in the circumstance- of this country, and secondly, Labour will have t.. luinisli steady, honest.. and loyal dibit free from strikes and “go-slow.” (liven 1 these two factors progress can he made and will be made—small at first, hut increasing as it goes on. One trouble is that the effective remeuLs ate so often slow working. Suggest such a joint elfort to Labour leaders and they so often reply, “Well, give our men a rise in wages straight away ie an earnest of good faith on voiii

pint." foigctting that you cannot eat you- fruit before you grow it. Another cliitiee.lty in lace in this scheme of tilings is flint n cluing,• of mood among

• either employers or men mist come . Horn within. Kmpluyers either them- ■ selves or through the inllnenee of their , leaders, must determine to make their ! effort - so with the men. With l.abum loudeis, lion ever, the difficulty i.s to induce their followers to discard obi prejudices and passions fostered often In leaders a- a means to their own adv.-iiuement. Kven if the Labour leader has tin* knowledge, pluck, and honesty required to a.sk his followers not to smash their heads against a brick wall or to advise them that their employers’ t'ils have been already screwed to the danger point, that a' hirther tarn must inevitably mean a kick back—what is so often the result ? The men turn their hacks upon their adviser, and listen greedily to a now hot-headed extremist who has not yet learnt sufficient to keep himself and his followers out of trouble. Natural laws are working hard to remedy the present evils—they work quicker and mote effectively in the long run than man-made ones which may be the creation of a baie majority. Nations and individuals during the five years since tiio armistice have certainly not worked ns hard to build as they worked during the four and a half years of war to destroy. 1 hat there is much yet to be done lad ore pre-war piosperity can be attained should not astonish anyone. Labour and Capital, and country and town might well hesitate io follow leaders whose policy will widen the present lines of cleavage. During the last five years our Legislature has done more to solve the problem of soldier repatriation than any other Legislature on the globe. It has inaugurated a policy of liberal loans to meet the seal city of housing—it has lessened public expenditure and reduced taxation and. above all. it lias maintained law and order. Are not tho.se. after rdl. the main objects of Governments in times like the present, and may we not if different bodies and interests Tu our community concentrate their attention solely on their own immediate interests and personal grievances, live to regard with envy the present-day conditions so ninny now criticise, and for which every candid visitor to our country expresses his "hole-hearted admiration.