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Hokitika Guardian, 31 January 1928, Page 2

Tim economic lesson to be learned ! roni strikes was emphasised by Sir Robert llonie in his recent .speech at Melbourne, when lie referred to the loss sustained |>.v labour on sucll occasons. Quarrels with capital on the ines ot many of the Australian strikes are very foolish proceedings. That fact has been emphasised over and over again, but the leaders and rank and tile alike are slow to learn. The dependence of labour on capital is demonstrated at every turn. Even in these days of unemployment capital lias to come to the rescue in providing payment, for relief work. Vet the casual labourer will as readily fall out with the source eif bis employment, and resort to the extreme of striking on verv slight- provocation. That lias happened recently in the- Tawa tunnel dispute at Wellington, and as a consequence many have gone idle, and hungry, simply lie,cause a strike was decided upon instead of a friendly conference. during which the men might have gone on working steadily. The readiness to strike mi the slightest provocation is almost a trait in the character of the Australian worker, and the New Zealand labourer resorts to extremes almost as readily. Sir Robert Horne refers to the lesson to bo leanul from the United States where capital and labour have come to a better understanding as regards mutual benefits from steady work and production. and the added wealth provided thereby is one of the factors in the American economic .situation to-day. Tu (treat Britain it. was plain how strikes and revolts by labour kept the country back. Since labour has been more amenable, to a reasonable course the country lias been prospering steadily. and the Old Laud is reviving in a wn.v to give satisfaction and gratification to those who it re studying the trading barometer. These two lessons in the expernMi.ee of the new and old world, should give food for thought here in. the antipodes whore there is need indeed lor a iscttling down to work and production to escape the conditions ef general unemployment which are besetting both Australia and New Zealand. It is of little use rading against the arbitration system while the spirit ef labour is what it is in • ■(> many instances. That extreme •*pir'it of opposition to any system would prevent success. Vet. it is olain by closer and more mutual cooperation all things are possible, and in a run of prosperity all classes must 'cel the benefit. Wlmt is being experienced now by all more or less, cannot tie satisfying, so that co-opera-tion in the effort to retrieve present conditions might well lie worthy a united effort on tho part of capital and labour, and mi retrieve the prospects of a rather serious winter otherwise.