WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3506, 18 June 1920, Page 7

WELLINGTON TOPICS

INDUSTRI.-\L UNREST

THE EMPLOY ICRS’ CONFERENCJ‘-1

(.'<pec-,ial Correspondent.)

\\’ELLINGTON, June 16‘

11 is significant of the trend of public. opinion that the two Wellington ne\vsp:—lperg popularly regarded as i'u.irlll“ul allies of capital are loudly deploring the refusal of the Employel'.s:" l+‘e(lel-ation to accept the invitation of the Labour l<‘ecler:ltion to 21, conl'm'enc-e t'or,the discussio-n of the industrial situati'on. “Their actual decision.’.’ the “Dominion” says, referring to the determinatioii of the representatives of the Employers’ Federation, “shows them at least wanting in enterprise, and will leave in many minds a suspicion. which we believe to be haseless, that their pm-fe-Ssions of good intent are lukewarm." The “Evening Post” is even more emphatic. Nothing the ElllplO_V4 ersf Federation has said alters its lopinion that a. national’ conference twould help to clear the air. “The employers’ attitude of no-conference,” it niaintains, "‘renders« them liable to’ ;the imputation of’ half—he:lrl-edness “and is a confession of neglect to exlhaust such conciliation possibilities ias the industrial situation affords.”

This unaccustomed "plain speaking

l‘.?‘.iU.l’illlY has atizi-acted the attention of the Employers’ Association. ANXIOUS FOR PER.\l..\_im.\*T PEACE. The ;<OC‘l'Gt&l'_V' of the organisation,’ WllO (lonbiless will deal with its crililtis through the usual channels,‘ spo2ll<in_::' 11nofF1cia.lly this morning and wirhout in any way committing his :O.\:O(‘.11ti\~'(". said he was much surprisml. hf.’ fine news-pnper.~a" 131-eseiitntion oi? thec-.lse which certainly did" something less than justice to the em—ployers. He had taken it: ‘For granted that Over)’ observant man and woman l‘! the ecnimunity realised that the m~.r.-Ic>_\v;~.—.~= were more closely interest.ed than zmyoiie else in the maintenziiwn of industrial ]w‘,‘icer If ‘they could be assured of a full supply of enmble contented labour they could lzl:‘_£:(*l’§.' extend their operaitons and by the increase in their turn—o\'er nla~ terizilly increase their profits, benefits in which the workers, quite riglir-‘ ly, would ille\'itahl_V shm-e_ But their ‘experience had Sati>'fiP(l them timt C(‘.]lfel‘(‘]](’,€‘§ without some sottl<‘(l basis of goodwill and good under‘stan<lin_<_: could contribute nothing tov.'ar(ls this desirable end. The Em-

plo_\'ex's‘ Federation. lmwevm-V, would keep wide open 1-110 door to f1'ii:§I1(*l‘:§l:-‘T U.iS<",u.~'SiCll and negotiation.

SOlT’l‘[—l ISLAND TRUNK R.-\lL\\'.~\‘:'. The little tiff between the Clrrist‘ church I’sro'gress L€‘r"tf%'U9 and Hl9; 1\I:nl-lhorough Main Trunk League overt the relative claims of the East and West Coast Railway and the .\luil-. Trunk Line -to early conipletion__ has attracted 3, good deal Of attention here and excited some pointed coinment. The suggestion of the Cliristchurch League that Wellington is using the Mzirlborongh League to put ja “spoke into the wheel at {‘alitc~r--Ib~ury" is warmly resentezl in sOlllO ‘quarters. It is quite true that while the Nortli Island Trunk line was in« ycomplete Wellington objected to ilarge sums of money being spent in»lon the East and West Ccast line. but it never objected to the South Island Trunk line making reasonable progress towards its terminus at Picton. Crmterbur_v, it is heing pointed out. lwas eager enough to have the line pushed on while it remained within its own cominercial sphere, but now it is making its way further north it is viewing the enterprise from quite a different stand-point. THE NEW MINISTER. It is announced this morning, again evidently with some ofiicial inspiration. that Mr I\lasse_v may find it ne-

(‘.23-..~::::‘_'v 1:) :si'r<:~:lg‘lii'~ieu-. E 115: (‘f€:‘ui::«=t s=-:mi»;~\'.'i;v.: {.‘ili’liE’l' t‘nall he had 1(?(i his I'l'ir>u«_is in e.\'pec'r a 6.11)’ 01- i\‘.'O agn. It is raunnised that at the full 111991ing of the Cabinet yestex-(iziy the Ml};ject was discussed and thai it \\'z:3 agreed the lninisterial toanz. COIISiSI'ing izirgely of now inoinbers, should be reinforced as early as possible in View Cf ‘the ilGll'»'}.’ work pl'on'lis<>r! during the session. The ;\lixli.v.:~:- n." ElhlC7].’?;‘iUil is full of new pi-ojec..:< fur his (iepal‘tnlmli*, and the Mliiisfvéi’ 05.’ Public Works for his. and, not being quite so long stiffering as the Mil~.is—’ter of Justice. they are not (ii.s:po:<(>.ri to zls3lllile Hie r<>spollsibility Ci’ :m_v oiid job iimi‘ niay cmno alon_:r,. .\n a‘dEl‘ition:«.i ;\‘filliSi9z', imtlood, seems inciispensablp. ‘ a.**