POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 152, 18 June 1908, Page 2

POLITICAL.

A DECAYING OPPOSITION. HON. G. POWLIK CRITICISM. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The lion. Geo. Eowlds, interviewed today, denied that any of his speeches \va •- ranted the reference as continually asserted by Mr. Massey, that it was his (the Minister's) opinion that no choice remained for the country but Socialism or single-tax. "The country," he continued, "gave a pretty clear indicati m of its opinion on Masaeyism at Tuapeku the other day. There Mr. Massey hail a candidate, backed by a very complete organisation. The Government chose a candidate, but the seat was won by a gentleman more radical than the cnventment candidate, at the same time declaring himself a Government supporter. Thus in a purely country electorate, Mr. Masscy's candidate was only able to command two out of every seven votes polled. Another ominous porteni for Mr. Massey is to be found in the epidemic which seems to have set ! n amongst the few followers he has in the present Parliament. Every other day lately we have seen an announcement in the press that Mr. So-and-So, a member of the Opposition, has decided nit to oll'er himself fur re-election. If this continues I ill the end of the session, there will be no one left but Mr. Maßsey and one or two of his lieutenants, and possibly some of them may have to retire involuntarily when the elect bit comes.

THE ASHBURTON SEAT. « Ashburton, Last Night. Mr. W. Nosworthy, a sheep-farmer, of Atlanta, to-day announced his candi- • dature as a straight-out Oppositionist for the Ashburton seat. This brings the total number of candidates announced to six, the other five being Messrs. If. R. Flatman (Government nominee), Henry Mavis, Mayor of Ashburton (Liberal),'.T. D. Gob'be, Ashburton (Labor League), W. 8. Masliu, Gevaldine (Oppositionist), and J. M. TVoniey, Temitka, who enters the field as a stern opponent of Mr. Flatman. Mr. David Jones, of Weedon's, has also been approached, and is considering the question. DR. FLNDLAY AT WELLINGTON. THE IXDUSTUIAI, QUESTON.

Wellington, Last Night. The Hon, Dr. Fimllay delivered n speech in Wellington to-night supplementing his recent Wanganui speech and replying to criticism thereon. To the assertion tlmt sweating hiul been abolished by tlic factories Act, not. by the Arbitration Act, lie pointed out that the wages of tailorcsscH. and factory hands were raised by (he Arbitration Court years before the passing of the factories Act of 11)01. During thirteen years there had been eighteen strikes, all really small ttnd short-lived, and only twelve of these had been illegal. In these strikes less than one per cent, of the tola I wage-earners 'had been involved, while I lie (lays of idleness due to them were few. In Britain, during a given decade. 20 per cent, of the workers were at some lime or other directly involved in labor coiillict, and the average days uf idleness was 3!) per man. Dr. Findlay repented and amplified his argument at Wanganui that the increase in the cost of living was due only in a very small degree to the Arbitration Act,-but to enhanced prices of foodstuffs in foreign markets and the great increase in the unimproved value of land and the cost of building-material. The speaker admitted that the Conciliation Boards had entirely failed to achieve the results anticipated by Mr. Reeves. When the parties gave up trying to settle disputes they worked the Act for the sole purpose of wage and labor regulation. Conciliation really had no place, and the Boards became a kind of fifth wheel in the coach. Some effective method of enforcing fines short of imprisonment was urgently required. He thought the provision in the Act preventing victimising needed altering. Dr. Findlay quoted statistics, compiled from income-tax figures, allowing that the various tradin'g and industrial concerns are assessed on £7,775,57!), but allowances for interest and rent would considerably reduce these profits, inasmuch its lit least £40,000,000 was in vested to produce these profits. He did not assert that the great body of workers were receiving wages which justified no increase, but unless more wealth was produced by increased effort and cooperation on the part of both employers aim employed there was not much prospect of any marked rise in the general level of the workers' wages.

Dr. Fimllay then asked what was_ to guide the Arbitration Court in fixing wages. Hi' dismissed the profit-sharing principle as impossible. In his belief, if compulsory arbitration wan to continue, it must continue to be a wage-regulator, and tlie best standard for its guidance was a double or, rather, a primary and a supplementary standard. The primary standard should be the needs of the worker, anil the wage based on it should be not a bare subsistence wage, but, one which would allow for all conventional decencies essential to a worker's selfrespect. The needs wage should lie supplemented by an extension wage providing for extra payment for extra work. The practice of paying a premium wage to one or two operatives in order to force the pace had been rightly condemned by trade unions, but it"ha<} never been tried under a compulsory arbitration Act with power to prevent abuses. Wbere a progressive wage for individual workers was impracticable a collective progressive wage could be paid. To give all workers, fast or slow, skilful or careless, the same payment, tended to degrade labor ._ lhe system he suggested could not injure tlie workers, anil the employers could have no reason to complain. A resolution of confidence in the Government was carried at the conclusion, of Dr. Findlay's speech. THE PREMIER AT TE KUXTI. Tc Kuiti, Last Sight. Siieikin" at Te Kuiti last night, the Prime Minister indicated that the present system of publtc auditing would lie. further improved, as he proposed bringin- down during the coming session a complete change in the system of auditi,„r public accounts. All accounts would m ß future be audited after payment instead of before. It was also proposed to bring down a proposal for umversa annuities for all branches of the Civil Service which were not under a superannuation system. A large numtar of other people had the right to expect similar compensation. For some time past he had been trying to perfect a scheme and was going to bring down a measure w hich° would result in a old people' being able to look forbid Usome old-age provision of a sun,a , m turc. Wr .loh.-I.li Ward also ind.ca ed Ul'i- tlie coining MS.-.11111 i" tion and arbitration laws.