The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, EEBRUARY 21st, 1923. RECURRING UNREST.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 February 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, EEBRUARY 21st, 1923. RECURRING UNREST.

I KOfl.i.K with labor i.s again centring on the waterfront. Difficulties with maritime interests are recurring constantly. It takes a very trilling pinprick nowadays to create a festering sere, and the patient is mil readily nn.et.iable to the treat.ue.il prescribed. The latest form of resistance to

employers i.s of the irritating order. Trouble just begins, nod it .sj rends more or less, presentin'; difficulties, nod involvin'; nil interests. Netv Zealand has been more free of these irritating methods than Australia, hut at last the mierohe has renched here, nod the unoilieinl methoti.s of seeking to impose the will' of the unionist i.s now in vogue. There is no declared strike, nor a system of a general strike, hut matteis so fall out that strike conditions prevail where the inclinations of the workmen so dispose. 'I ho New Zealand episode has arisen from a recent judgment or the Arbitration Court. The wharf laborers sought an increase in pay and think they are justified in an extra sixpence an hour. The Court the legalised channel for the settlement of industrial issues awarded an increase of on penny and a half jenny j:er hour. The unionists considered this increase—equal to Is a day—a eontempuous amount and through the Unions have been so expressing their opinions. It is a short-coming on the part of arbitration as applied to unionism, that the labor side is disjosed only to accept decisions when it suits. The employer side has to submit always, or meet monetary penalties; hut the laborer has not the resources as a rule upon which to levy, , and if a decision is considered unsuitable, it is ignored. This attitu has robbed the unionist of much sympathy—for after all the public expects the game to he played. The Court of Arbitration is an independent authority charged with a duty to serve the whole community. By its awards the Court lias dealt neither unfriendly nor unliherally •with the labor organisations. -Marked advances in wages have been made in all classes of employment, while conditions have been likewise ; subject for special consideration, greatly in favour of the employee. As a matter of fact it might have lieen expected that the Court should have established itself more favorably than otherwise with the masses. But at the moment there is believed to he something objectionable in a well studied decision ; there is no thought of fairness in the comment passed on the judgment. The critics give neither credit nor concern for the Court, but believe the Court to be part of a machine designed principally to destroy the laboring man. As usual the extremist comes to the fore, and goes in for hi.s extreme talk, which involves extreme action. The need of the times i.s stability of judgment and respect for the law. It i.s essential these must he maintained at all costs, or all that is prized in constitutional law and order will be lust. There is too great a disposition growing up to flout authority, and lor each to be a law unto himslf. A strong corrective must needs he used, and probably with trouble brewing as it is in the present instance, unless discretion comes to the rescue, the law may hare to he imposed again l>y force. fhe position is not a new one. nor was it unexpected. The approach of a strike or trouble on the waterfront was predicted some time ago. Presumably it had to recur in cycle order or the men could not live happily. But it is not good for the men, nor the country as a whole, that such a state of affairs should he encouraged or tolerated. The position must needs he dealt with with a firm hand. The employers are disposed to play their part, and the Government as champions of law and order must uphold them. There is the call to the people, also, now, as before, to stand hy the Government in this matter, and see that the law is upheld pnd legal decisions respected properly,

Fii.es to liand by thc> last English mail bring evidence in support of the opinion, held by many observers of the dollar-sterling exchange, that *he recent marked strength of sterling is connected with commodity price movement;; in England and the United States. Dealing with this subject the statistical correspondent of the Loudon “Financial Times’’ points out that during the English autumn the British price level had been rising quicker than had the America!', and that, in accordance with the well-known purchasing power parity theory, the dollar exchange should simultaneously have moved against he United Kingdom. This, however, did not happen, and. though there were many factors, such as Continental borrowings, low money rates in the United States, and the return to power of a stable Government in Great Britain, which contributed, towards the rise in sterling, .there was some reason to fear that the effects of these factors would lie only temporary. and that the dollar rate was approaching an artificial height. Any apprehensions of the kind, states the writer, had been partially dispelled as the result of commodity price movements during November. \\ Idle the British prise level had slipped back from 105 to 10-1, the United States index h a, ;l moved up Irom 1 ->1 to 15). Thus the tendency of previous months had been reversed, and the course of tlie indices had become lavourable to sterling. The movements quoted, added the correspondent, were aquivalent to a theoretical gain of about 15 cents in the New York value of the pound.

Thk welcome rainfall this week', which had so many advantages to the district as a whole, had some drawbacks. One was" tiie swollen creeks on the ma-in south road, which held up <ar traffic at. various iKiints. Now that motor ic-hic-lc traffic is so essential to the development ,of the south and perishah.e commodities have to be transported over tlie roads almost daily, it is important that traffic should not be interrupted unduly. iSotne oi the small creeks require bridging, and the controlling authority should look into the matter with a view to attending to work of the nature suggested which will meet the requirements ot the district. Some of flic small streams along the main south road are a menace to trafli after rain, and bridging i.s not a large cost in several instances where traffic is affected. Cowhide creek, on Wanganui Flat is said to be a stream' where a small bridge would give security to motor traffic at present lacking. During the week car and lorry traffic was held up by tlie iiood in the stream, and a small cxpeiunmre at the point referred to, would avoid that delay aim inconvenience, olien carrying loss with it. Dry Creek further south is anollw crossing in need of urgent attention. This is a more costly undertaking, because in time of Hood, the stream rather belies its name, and is a raging water course. In any case it is a,

stream which requires to be more conlined, as at present loft to natural devices, there is the liability of a large amount of valuable pastoral land being i!e.-li i.yed. There arc other small streams cu route which are troublesome at times, but the authorities could no doubt deal wu.i them iii order ui urgency if the works could be recognised. The bridging of the creeks is essential joi the well being of the district, so as to ensure sale and regular trafti •. At present, and in fact for some time past, there i.s a dearth ol expenditure on public works in the district, and a revival might lie pressed for when there are so many urgent matters to attend to. The Government i.s not disposed to extend the railway, and that being the policy lucre i.s not any reason why activities should not concentrate on road and hirdge improvements, especially where the highway is taking the place of a railway. There is a strong case for attention, and the matter should he urged on the authorities persistently.

It i- .-ill-lory to know tluit the cun in ctinns with the local 'i clopllone Ext Ini ngo ;ire iin.Tcasinji m miinboi, anil that by reason of tlic added .subscribers, tlie .service is proving more ami more lonvenient to all users. The possioility ot adopting the continuous service is again being mentioned, and it would be a very use I'll I convenience lor the town as a whole to see such a regular service provided. 'I he cost to suhscrfi.eiii tor the present limited service is not out: of the way. For business premises the increased rate is C2 per annum, and for residences, £L per annum. The benefits of a round the clock service are the more apparent now that trunk calls can ho made to distant ] arts of the Hast Coast. This convenience is particularly useiul for business purposes, mid Into night or early morning calls, which the continuous service render possible, aro at a very low tariff. Cutler the present hours the telephone is cut off on all important holidays and every Sunday. It is very inconvenient on holidays such as Boxing Day. New Year’s Day. Buster .Monday, and so on to have the restricted service which lias prevailed, when there is a town full of people on the move. All classes of trade are effected by the restrictions which the continuous service wotud remove once and for all. There is a movement for an improved rural telephone service affecting party lines ii. Kukatahi and Koiterangi districts, and with those centres it would tie an advantage all round to have the continuous service available. Other settlement districts with commodities for sale and export will find the telephone a useful adjunct to business, and by jinking up such districts with a permanent service, the district generally will benefit. The installation of a continuous telephone service is one of thorough progressive steps assisting to count towards the advancement of the place. Facilities will be available which wore not before, and advantages will be possible which are now impossible. In a restricted community such as this all local movements have a reflected interest for the benefit of all, and by adopting the continuous service, benefits will creep in which at first were not thought of. Improved means of intercourse help in so many ways, that the advantage of an improved telephone service will lie-a manifest benefit all round in a very short space of time.