WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 February 1928, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

AR B ITU ATI OX IXQUIRY. (Special to “ Guardian WKLLIXOTOX, Feb. fl. The Parliamentary Committee lias decided upon the scope of the proposed 11 if 111 iry into the Aribtration Act and the number of members of committee. 'I His special committee is to consist of about seventy members, if not more, and promises to be as umvieldly ami as incompetent as Parliament itself. As each section of malcontents is to be represented, it is obvious that the discussion must also fie on party lines. It cannot lie contended that seventy or eighty persons interested can bring a decision that would be commendable at all. Parliament appears to have missed the essential point demanded by the primary producers, that is equal representation of the primary producers with tne workers and employers. This umvieldly semi-parliamentary committee will not do an atom of good. It will not study the question in all its aspects, but each section will be manoeuvring foradrantage. and compromise will lie the order of the day. This is not what the country wants. Wo want a scientific study of arbitration. Its effects as wo know it here, its effects in other countries, whether compulsory or voluntary arbitration is tried. We cannot get that with an tiiiwieldlv commission such as is now proposed. It will be remembered that when the amendment of the Act was under consideration there was a compact or understanding between the Killplovers’ Federation and the Alliance ol Labour, obviously as to their lines of opposition. Vested interests amongst those of the commission will lie very powerful and will insist or endeavour to bring about compromises. The report of this commission can almost lie given now. There will be Mime alteration of the Act. but the essential features of compulsory arbitration will remain. Now. as to flic scope of the inquiry, it is laid down that the commission must consider the welfare of the country, the interests ol the employers and the interests ol the workers. What, it may be asked, are the interests of the country? Who ito determine the interests of the country? This is in itself a large question

ami provides plenty ol room ol compromise. Then again there is tile prolilem of the effect of the present : \stem 011 primary industry. This, as we know, lias been debated lime and again, and it lias been pointed ~ui that our primary producers have to depend on export prices, which vary considerably. They cannot pass any rise in price in the cost ol production on to the consumer. But tlier bare to face any rise in cost that is passed on to them by local manufacturers. The export prices represent the income of the country, and because this income has fallen to such an extent that the primary producers have lint the monoj to spend. 'Hence the volume of unemployment which in Auckland alone is alleged to amount to four thousand. Kven if it is half the number it is serious enough.

The problem has got to lie faced hut not on a basis of compromise, which is what the I’arliainciilnry Committee is aiming at. We do not want interests that arc so closely related with the Aribtration Act to sit on the committee. If this subject were discussed by statistician'. actuaries, bankers, accountants and similarly interested people, then we should get some sane conclusion, hut we will not get it from lids proposed committee as suggested. For instance, we waul this custom ol victimisation as practised by the workers, d-lermined. The sailors of the M a hunt were guilty of victimising the i hid steward eitlici as steward or as passenger, and they won their case. Because the vessel was under contract' In he in San Francisco by a certain date and the men look ad vantage of this.