THE WAXING OF UNIONISM. But the Waning of Ambition.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 64, 21 September 1901, Page 8

THE WAXING OF UNIONISM. But the Waning of Ambition.

THERE is no particular need foi skill m New Zealand. The appetite for unionism has done away with the necessity Skill, therefore, is at a discount. The modern employer merely refuses work to an incompetent now-a-days If he accepts him, and he is of man's age, he demands, through his union, the wage determined oy it It is no matter to him whether the work turned out by him is as good as that of the American or German, for the remuneration is as high as that of his bettei -qualified mates, and he is satisfied * * ♦ Unionism has acted as a check to individual ambition There is no middle course in it, nor is there any giaduation in its demands It aims at equality of remuneration for inequality of work, and it gets it The average youth with a bent towards sport, and a desire to do as little work as is consistent with existence, hails the adjustment of his alleged wrongs with gratitude He has only to obtain the stipulated wage m any trade safeguarded by unionism, and there he rests His American cousin, in the meantime, is so jealous of any fancied superiority m the work of others that he is striving with might and mam to improve his work to attain higher skill and to earn higher wages. His masteis pay him his wages according to his skill. * ♦ * His skill in the aggregate is the highest m the world His wages vaiy fiom a nominal sum for incompetents to a generous stipend foi expcitfe, and on the whole the prospciity of that countiy, the phenomenal skill of its workmen, and its mdustual supremacy is due to the fostering of ambition by the acknowledgment of special ment New Zealand is apparently striving to turn out a nation the units of which shall be as much alike as possible She is satisfied to pay the same wages for good or indifferent work If the minimum wage for unionist adults is good foi workers, it is certainly bad for the piospccts of the country * * * If New Zealand would leahse that when she has expanded beyond her experimental stage, she may have to compete for existence with countries which are not only ambitious for the comfort of then peoples, but for the quality of then goods she would question the advisability of assessing each man at a like value The trend of present legislation is not in the dncction of fostering ambition and individual skill The man who knows that by an access of skill he will gam higher remuneration will strive towards' that end Doubtful benefits have been confened on the workcis of New Zealand with a lavish hand If this- country is to take its stand with the world if she is to become great commeieially she must in the words of the Prcmici, "go slow" in regard to her treatment of the worker * ♦ * The workers have been coddled into a belief that they are supreme and pie-eminient, that though their skill may be small, then pay should be large Under the present system oithci the weak go to the wall

oi reap equal benefits with the stiong and ambitious. The position may appeal to the weak as just and equitable, but the system is 1 productive of ruin If you coddle him he will grow on you Above all things New Zealand requires a self-reliant people The people are naturally self-reliant, but the disposition to pandei over much to the worker is in the direction of minimising that quality A partial halt might well be called to prevent the death of ambition