THE ARBITRATION COURT.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 35, 3 November 1911, Page 17

THE ARBITRATION COURT.

Sir, —I notice in "The Maoi.land Worker" that some of your correspondents are continually advocating the abolition of the Arbitration Court. At the present time, like other country workers, I do not subscribe to their doctrine. It may be all very well for such organisations as the N.Z.F.L., whose members are easily obtainable to closer organisation; but the country workers (the agricultural and pastoral and, shall I acid, the dairy workers) are not sufficiently organised to afford the abolition of the above-named Court. I am an active member of the Farm Laborers' Union, and I here and now candidly assert that the conditions of the country workers are anything but satisfactory, but the difficulty of organising the country workers is almost insurmountable owing to their isolation and conditions. There is no class of workers in this Dominion whose conditions require improvement so much as tlie farm workers. Some years ago the farm workers of this district used the weapon you now advocate (the strike) and in every instance the unionists were defeated, and in every instance this defeat resulted in a reduction of wages. I do not doubt that there are a few industries where the workers are well organised and able to protect themselves, but in the case of the' country workers it is always the weak going to the wall. Consequently they cannot consent to the abolition of the Act or the Court. Then supposing you succeeded in accomplishing the abolition of the Court, what do you suggest in its place? Of course, you will no doubt advocate Industrial Unionism, and I hold the opinion that this cannot be successfully accomplished except by legislative enactment. Compulsory ism to every class of workers in this Dominion is the first stepping stone to advancement i_ the workers' nxo.e-

ment, and this will only result by the social leaven of education and of scientific investigation into the Avhole conditions of our social life. I admit that under the Arbitration Act Avages have been advanced and the minimum wage fixed, but in the majority of cases the employer makes the minimum Avage the maximum; and on the other hand the cost of living is at once advanced, consequently the spending powers of the country "workers are very little, if any, greater than before the wages Avere increased. I Avould suggest that before any attempt at the abolition of the Act or the Court is made a Royal Commission should be set up to make a careful iiiA'ostigat-ion into the cost of living, and I think this Avon Id result in proving this to be due to the operation of trusts, rings, and combines that exist noAV of considerable magnitude. 1 ,hnoAv a certain section of the community always stands by the old maxim that competition is the life of trade. If this maxim is true, it goes without saving that it must be a fair coin petition, and this is not the case in operation now.—Yours, etc., Waimate. J. SMITH.