DUKE OF YORK'S GREAT INTEREST.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17748, 21 March 1927, Page 7

DUKE OF YORK'S GREAT INTEREST.

N.Z.

Welfare

THE HUMAN SIDE OF INDUSTRY. WELFARE WORK REQUIRED.

(Contributed by

League). His Royal Highness, the Duke of York, is a man of very serious thought and he is speeially concerned in the suhject of industrial welfare, This is the work for the advancement of which in England he has given his heart and understanding. What is this movement of industrial welfare? Those who mentally visualise nfodern industry as a mere aff air of mechanic,al processes, the exercise of material means to material ends, have really a very shortsjghted vision of the realities of today. This age is very prolific in regard to plans and practices for the betterment of conditions under which the mass of the people work and live. It is right that the welfare of the workers in the industries should have intelligent and skilful attention. The day is happily past when workmen and women can be regarded solely as the instruments of production and receive no consideration as human beings in regard to their essential humgn needs. Great industrialists such as the late Lord Leverhulme. the Cadbury's, Henry Ford and many others have. recognised that the welfare of their employees is as much a part of their industrial undertaking as anything connected with industry in which they are concerned. The science of industry is very closely related tp the psychology of human wants, injpulses, mental and mcral attributes and the whole gamut of human relationship. Healthy and contented workmeh are of greater value even in an economic sense, than those who through wrong treatment are ill conditioned, surjy, discontented and antagonistic. Much. of course, has heen done by legislation to improve the working conditions of industries, but it would be a decided misfake to look solely to the machinery of legislation and Government administration for the constant betterment that is recjuired under the growing congestion andj complexity of industry. Human requirements in the way of cleanliness, venfilation, safety, relaxation, pleasurable association and other faictors of physical and mental health, can only be provided in proper measure hy the cooperation of those engaged in our industries. both employers and work people. The movement for industrial welfare in Britain has progressed to the stage of being crystallised into definite organisation. "The Industrial Welfare Society" is a large and important body." Its president is H.R.H. the Duke of York, K.G., and J its chairman, Lord Invercairn, of Messrs W. Reardmore and Co., Ltd. On thc Council of this Society are men of all politieal parties and none. There are capitalists and labour men; amongst the latter are such well known names ,as J. H. Thomas. i

J. R. Clynes, Ai'thur Henderson, ' Frank Hodges and Havelock Wil- , son. This organisation which is of all classes and no party, has ; branches in all parts of the King- j dom. It carries on educational | work in every quarter of the coun- j try and publishes monthly a most | informative journal called "Indus- j trial Welfare," copies of which we j receive regularly. j It would he impossible in a short j article to do more than merely j touch the fringe of the great work this organisation |is doing. By its efforts speeially trained Welfare supervisors (medical * men and others), are attached to hig works. Schools, libraries, clubs, societies, recreation rooms, play grounds, canteens, baths, banks, convalescent homes and a hundred other adjuncts have heen provided as part of the lives of the great bodies of men, women land children engaged i in the many industrial establish- t ments of the Old Land. , , | We are writing on this subject 1 because we consider the industrial- j ists of New Zealand should eopy the j example set them in England. In ] many works of industrial character j within the Dominion there is room for improvement of the conditions under which the operatives spend part of their lives. Why should not representative men of the Employers' Association, Trades and Labour Councils, Industrial Associations, " and other bodies directly interested ; in industry, form a New Zealand Welfare Society? We* have seen men from all of these bodies working together on casual occasions — why not malce it a constant effort for such a good purpose as is herein indicated. It is noted that our Royal visitor took every opportunity to show his keen interest in the human side of industry. As president of the British Industrial Welfare Society he is a live wire and not a mere figure head. Tlie example set by him can be followed with much advartage by our people in New Zealand, _ _