The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, APRIL 28. 1928.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, APRIL 28. 1928.

THE INDUSTRIAL PROBLEM. Thk progress made by the Industrial Conference at Wellington, though not too tangible as yet. may lie gunged to some extent by the general reception of the views expressed. There were important expressions of opinion stated bv the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, and these views are naturally of considerable importance at thin junet\ye when a remodelling of the system of arbitration is on the tapis. As a contemporary remarks, generally speaking, it is among the employers in the past that dissatisfaction with the Arbitration system has chiefly prevailed. and it is well known that many organisations of employers at the present time are vehemently opposed to it,. Blit in the paper read before the Conference on behalf of the Employers’ Federation, ,’the [statement was made, clearly and definitely, that the Arbitration system has conferred great benefits upon the country, and that the Arbitration Court in its present form ought to be retained. One important section of this paper deals with the question of strikes, and from this point of view- a strong case is made out in support of the Arbitration system. The statistics on strikes issued by the Labour Department are

highly misleading. Per it. makes n

practice of treating as separate strikes all instances of cessation from work liv 11 10 wage-earners at different <*ontros, though tliev may all affect the same iiiduslry. In DMHi-i was rcco Id - ed the first strike that had occurred in this cuiinfry for twelve years, and because the men ‘‘went out” at twelve different freezing works, this is put down as twelve separate strikes. Similarly, in 1912-13. a strike affecting the whole freezing industry is entered as niiiiietcen separate Strikes. In this way the total number of strikes is 1 made to loom large on paper. Tint even since the Arbitration Court ceased systematically to grant concessions to the workers there have been relatively few strikes. During the seven years’ period since 1920 only four serious strikes have occurred in this country, and the Kmployers’ Federation justlv claims that this represents a very high level of industrial stability and security. Though we regard the A.rbitrnt ioiii Court as established rather to abolish sweating than to prevent strikes, we agree with the Kmployers’ Federation that it has played a very important part in securing industrial peace for the Dominion. But (■juite apart from their defence of Arbitration as a. safeguard against strikes, the employers hold that the Arbitration Court lias done good service by promoting collective' bargaining on amicable terms, it has checked violent fluctuations in rates ol wages, and it has thus helped to protect the general public against exploitation. They admit that there are defects in the present system, more particularly because the awards of the Court are not sufficiently elastic., and are often unduly restricted. lint. balancing merits against defects, the New ZeaIml Kmployers’ Federation maintains mat the Arbitration Court should keep its present form and functions, and that if the Labour Disputes Investigation Act be repealed, and the system is made “wholly optional," it will continue to benefit both wage-earners and employers throughout the Dominion. This estimate of the Arbitration system provides a refreshing change I rmn the indiscriminate and vehemently destructive criticism to which the Arbitration Court is sometimes exposed. The Now Zealand F.tnplovcis’ Federation has not made the mistake of attributing all our industrial woes to the Arbitration Court, and its verdict mi the <|iiestion. marked as it is by honesty, courage, and impartiality, is a valuable contribution In ibe ills-

eiK-sion now in progress til Wrllin it mi.