IS CAPITAL AFRAID?

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 73, 16 March 1908, Page 4

IS CAPITAL AFRAID?

.WHAT A MAN I'FACT IRER SAYS LABOR I'NREST FRIGHTENS INVESTORS. FIRMNESS NECESSARY.

'•The positioti of industries in Si'w Zealand to-day is almost dangerous. There is now quite an intense feeling amongst industrial men owing to the unrest in the part ol the laborers." ibis statement was made to a New Zealand Ti s reporter on Friday by a gentleman who is largely interested in industrial undertakings throughout the Dominion, lie said it was practically certain lhat u the Pdackball strike had not been settled there would have been two more .strikes. The position was now that there was a general unrest, and there was no knowing what the men were going to do. Employers had now no control over them whatever, and two or three unions were simply waiting to sec what was the result of the Blackball strike before they took action themselves. People who were running industries involving the employment of much labor found it increasingly dillicult to get capital together. 'They could not

get their financial business carried out by financial institutions as they could in tlie past. The fact was that there was a general feeling that there was not the industrial enterprise! that there was sonic time ago. Consequently the purse strings were being held lighter thiMi heretofore. During the lust few months endeavors have been made Co float several undertakings, notably coal mines, the capital of which a year ago would have been subscribed readily. "What is wanted to restore confidence," concluded the informant, "is a dibtuict assurance by the Ministry that it will insist that the present law is carried uttt in its entirely ,or else will i wipe it off' the Statute Book and leave employers and workers free to settle j their disputes in the old-fashioned manner."

CNORUANISLD LABOR. ITS FREEDOM TO STRIKE. MINISTER'S REPLY TO CIUIICS. 'T do not consider the industrial position any more acute than it has been for some time, beyond the general dissatisfaction which seems to be world-wide. A great wave of discontent with existing conditions seems to be sweeping over the workers. It goes deeper down than a matter of hours and wages. You will find it in America, Europe, and Asia, as, wdi as in New Zealand, and il does not centre around the Conciliation and Arbitration Act." In these terms the Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister of Labor) replied to a Times reporter, who asked for his comment upon the niaufacturors' declaration above mentioned. The pressman called his attention to some evidences of unrest among the workers. Though the general public has not heard of the matter before, trouble arose recently at the Clear Company's meat works in connection with a section of the employees; there was a strike of slaughtermen in Southland and Otago which lasted for a week; small affairs of the kind in I'icton and Pcume, and labor dilliculties at one or I two butter factories.

Tin' Minister was acquainted with tin' facts in each instance, and lies [jiDiiiptiy pointed out that in every ease the troulile was with unorganised men. "There was no union., no award, and the Court had no jurisdiction. Therefore the men had absolute freedom to make their bargain in their own way. It is the formation of unions which protects everybody. The men are protected against the cutting of wages, and the employers have reaped benefit from the state of things which has prevailed under the Act. It has been ;u operation now for fifteen years, and the only strikes proper (luring that period have been two, the slaughtermen's, ami the Blackball miners'."

"So far as withdrawal of capital from industry is concerned," continued the Minister, "the figures of the Year ISook do not prove it. They show an increase in the capital invested both in land, buildings, and machinery, and there is likewise a big increase in the number "!' hands employed. The complaint at present is not of scarcity of capital, but of the insufficient number of hands available for (he industries. The Arbitration Act. to judge bv its results, ha- been a -acre-! It ha's perpetuated fur fifteen Year-* a peaceful relationship tK'lween Hie two sides."