“TIMBER INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY.”

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1929, Page 6

“TIMBER INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY.”

SOUGHT BY COAIPULSION. SOAIE ANOMALIES. (Nineteen Twenty-Eight Committee.) One of the legacies the Hon. A. DMcLeod left to his successor in office when, he laid down the portfolio of Industries and Commerce last year, was “ A Bill Intituled,” as the quaint language of the draughtsman has,'it, “An Act to Promote Efficiency iii- .the;' Production and Alarketing of Timber.”; The Bill was read in the House of Representatives a “first time”—formally laid on the table, that is—on the concluding day off the last session of the expiring Parliament, and was duly recorded in the appendix to “Hansard’’ among the Bills that had been “ rejected or otherwise disposed of.” The disposal in this particular case appears to have been a promise by the Alinister in charge thfit it would he revived during the first session of the succeeding Parliament. This would not necessarily mean that it had the entire approval of Mr .AlcLeod. It is understood that the BUI was promoted by the executive of the Dominion Federated Sawmillefs’ Association, and that the Minister of tlie day was riot committed to the whole of its pin visions-.- In the absence of Air McLeod from the Dominion, however;' this caririot be stated as a fact. Though the Bill has not yet reappeared on the Order Paper at the time of writing, it is reported that the Prime Minister has. undertaken it shall be dealt with during the -preserit Session otf Parliament. Doubtless Sir •Tosoh Ward—as probably would have been the case with Air AlcLeod—will exercise his discretion in regard to some of its provisions. ‘

HOW IT AIAY AVORK. The authority the Bill proposes to confer upon the Governor-General in Council, the Alinister in charge of tlie portfolio of Industries and Commerce, a Timber Industrial Efficiency Board and a whole army of greater and minor officials is more than a little astounding. The proposal to establish um Efficiency Board would have to he supported by sixty-five per cent of the valid votes polled by the registered sawnrillers to become operative; but once established the Board would have ari overwhelming advantage over its opponents. To begin with, .seventy per cent, of the valid votes would be required to'effect the disestablishment of the Board, and if this proportion were not forthcoming the Board could, not he challenged again within three years. Thirty-one per cent otf the sawinillers, that is, could flout the wishes of the remaining sixty-nine indefinitely. Then the proposed constitutiori of the Board would be a sheer travesty of ecjuitable representation. It is proposed tlirit two persons should be' appointed by the Governor-General,"-oil tlie represontati’bri- bf’tliS'Minister, as representatives ifaf the Government; one by-His Excellency, again on the represeritation of the Alinister, -as representative of the sawmill employees, arid four by His Excellency, on the recommendation of the : Dominion . Federated Sawmillers’ Association, as representatives of the sawmillers. The two members appointed :as representatives ’of the Government arid the "pile appointed as representative off "the ’ sawrinll employees "would hold office only “during the pleasure of the Government,” and c-ould be dispensed with altogether if a compliant Alinister thought it desirable to leave the whole business in the hands of the sawmillers’ representatives.

INSIDIOUS INVASION. When appointed and fully established S the members of the Board, even if they represented the wishes and desires of no more than thirty-one per cent of the sawmillers they nominally served, would have wide open to them a very expansive field of operations. Though sixty-nine per cent of the sawmillers subject to their jurisdiction disapproved of their methods olf grading timber, their system of account keeping, their industrial ideas and practices, their scientific restarch work, their appointments of graders and inspectors, the volume of their levies, and a score of other things appertaining to their administration, there would be no means of escape for the majority until the third year of minority rule was completed. Meanwhile,, the sawmilling industry of the Dominion might be very gravely impaired by compulsory minority rule. The; disposition of the business world to-day is not towards Government interference with private enterprise—c'f which this Timber Industrial Efficiency Bill is an insidious example—but towards freedom of trade and the expansion of opportunities. Lf there are sawmillers who wish to cooperate for the purpose of extending their business, or improving their methods, or increasing their capital, or strengthening their position in any other direction, no fault could be found with their dojpg so by legitimate means: but if they propose to reach their desired end by commandeering the property of sawmillers who do not wish to join their venture surely Par- ' liament is not going to assist them in their raid. If such a proceeding were countenanced by law neither private property nor private enterprise would ( be secure from the inroads of ambitious speculators., .