THE LIFE OF THE WORKER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10274, 8 May 1919, Page 4

THE LIFE OF THE WORKER

The well-being of the worker is of the first importance, and the pleasure of his life of well-being comes next. Both | these questions are great. Much light is thrown upon them by the report of tho interview between the ActingMinister for Labour and the deputation of tho A.P.TT. Conference. The deputation presented a tremendous indictment of the conditions under which shearers and agricultural labour are accommodated. Perhaps it would be more correct to say of the conditions of the accommodation of shearers. At any rate, the indictment to which each of the speakers on tho deputation spoke makes rather startling reading. They were all very outspoken, going, in fact, further than is usually the case with deputations interviewing Ministers of the Crown. But if their allegations of fact are correct, their comments are very fully justified. The first question, of course, is: Were the allegations correct? They were certainly definite,, and they did not from first "to last present a discordant note. On tho contrary, the allegations made ii perfectly consistent case. Consistency, however, is not a main element of proof, though it certainly must ha regarded as a strong element in tilt; establishment of a prima facie case. Consistency may, of course, be a featuro of conspiracies and frauds. But that consideration may be regarded as eliminated iu this ease. This is obviously a perfec'tij!''Ko"ne^t''.'nicTfc;tmei[i.t, : ' and, therefore, its consistency may bo accepted as a strong element, establishing tho "prima facie" case made out by the deputation. On the other hand, there was no attempt at any kind of rebuttal. The Minister could not have been ignorant of the nature of the indictment to be presented to him by the deputation, not as a bolt from tho blue, but after due notice and fixing of time of arrival by agreement. There is a department of the Public Service which is concerned with the very things the deputation was charged to denounce. That department, indeed, is charged with tho administration of laws, and the enforcement of regulations, both designed and made for the prevention of the very things so strongly denounced by tho deputation. The de- ! pnrtment, in fact, was iucluded iu the indictment-of the deputation.. The department ought to have been ready with some reply tor the Minister to make to tho indictment and- the plain speaking of the deputation. But there '•was no reply of any kind. The ActingI Minister admitted that the law did not enact provision of the air space necessary for health, but beyond declining to commit the Minister for Labour to any course on his return to his duties, he said nothing more. It looks very much as if the Acting-Minister has let judgment go by, default. This adds force to the declaration of one member of the deputation—Mr P. Eraser, M'.P. —that the statements o! the deputation were a revelation. It is not only that the members had declared that the inspectors of the department had passed as legal conditions in reality insanitary, abominablo beyond description, and unfit even for the beasts of tho field. . The fact that these statements received no ronly, together with tho Acting-Minister's condemnation of tho Act, ffives greater force to the statements. But tho important thing is that tho evil of bad housing, which was crying for reform, was dealt with by legislation some thirty years ago; was supposed to havo established a great reform; had certainly won a victory after considerable opposition ; that this evil thus dealt with is still crying to heaven; and that the I cry meets no better reply than that [the law is faulty. The law was consolidated in 1908; it was amended in 1912: and final regulations were gazetted in 1913. And in May, 1919, six years after the regulations, it is pos. sible for a. deputation to denounce tho horrors of the old shearers' hut days as still prevailing! The indictment is general. It takes no count of the fact that there are quarters provided in many instances which are a credit to the masters and a comfort to the men. These, of course, do not justify tho conditions declared by the deputation and apparently admitted by the Acting-Minister, and bv the silence of the. officers'of his department. They prevent us from including every employer of shearing and agricultural labour in the condemnation deKOTvctt by those who have, supplied matter to the indictment. Bin they establish a case for tho amendment of the law. and, if inquiry—which, ought to be made—justifies, the betterment of the work of tho department. Tho deputation attacked tho inspection ; the Acting-Minister passed the attack on to the law. The law may require amendment: but the responsibility for the continuance of the evil denounced bv the workers and _admitted by default of tho Acting-Minister and his department, lies with the Government. It mav he necessary to amend the law. But tlio Government whieh endured tho law—or inaladministered it—cannot be endured much longer.