EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 158, 25 June 1908, Page 3

EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION.

iThe meeting of the New I'lviiiOntii Employers' A>-ociali>>n last uight, though billed for Hie consideration "I important bu-niess. attracted a meagre attendance. .Mr. 11. (loodacre. tln* pre--iiiout. occupied the eiiair, and eight other members were present at ,i <|iiar- j ter hi an hour after the time tixed. .mil MX others arrived during the course ot

. j the evening. THE HOLIDAY QUESTION. I The secretary reported that as yel m j definite action had been taken in i-et'.-r encc to the petition regarding the lat lory half-imliday. ilie president slated that the meeting had been ealled to confer with Mr Okev. M P.. i-oncci ning the conllic-ting shop and factory legislation, which rendered the laws not easily workable. This was. he thought, due to the hasty legislation ut the end of last session w'hich dealt witfi his particular legislation. The provisions of the Act would doubtless 'luco been more suitable had the liovernmeiit ! proposals lie submitted io employees for consideration and suggestion. Hie secretary stated that he had found amongst employers a disinclination amongst large factory-owners to

observe any half-holiday other that S il tirday, and factory-owners with retai businesses declared they must observ. the shops half-holiday. ,\ poll, tihen I would not have given satisfaction. A universal half-holiday, declared by law was the only solution. The Ass'Ofiatio: desired to bring licfore Mr. OUev It, I necessity for amenifing the F.:<'t<cn' Ail. Another matter was tile con-ti r tution of the Concilialion Hoards, tins Association being ill favor of having the Hoards composed id' two employers and two employees in the trade affected. The pro)K>sal that employers should he forced lo make deductions from in order to pay their employees' lines was also a matter lor discussion. The president thought such a coutsc extremely undesirable. When an agrce-

nient between employer and employee bad l>een arrangNl, the difference, so to speak, should be forgotten, and everything done to make tiie relations cordial. For the employer to make a sort of bailiff would perpetuate the friction and keep the breach open. lie hoped he would never lie made a bailiff to collect Government tines from his em- | ployees. The -Truck Act" especially forebade deductions from wages. At the -same time, if an employee were fined, lie must be made to pay the tine, just as the employer had to pay his. Shaking on the holiday question, .Mr Avery said that Wanganui and Nelson, after declaring for the Saturday holiday, had reverted to the mid-week system.

Mr. \\ hitaker said that the reasfin of that was that those two towns had found it inadvisable to stand out alotie for £aturdav. Thev favored universal holidays. Mr. Avery protested that any interruption of the present system would cause loss of trade. Mr. Morev thought the people would ill have their wants to lill. and they would -till have to spend their money. A letter Ir'Mii the Wanganui Tradesmen'* Association was read asking sup|K>rt of its recommendation for an unlitorm half-holiday for shops and lactones. | Mr. Whitakfr thought that .to ask the (JovernimMit for a universal holiday would he virtually a request for the Saturday observance. Mr Avery thought shops and factories should U' kept distinct. The trouble \\{\> that too manv little retail businesses were classed as factories. Mr. I'. White said he thought the tloverwiient was moving in the wrong di-

reetion in compelling a universal halfholiday. His experience was (hat factory workers did their shopping on their Sat-

iirdav half-holiday. Mr. Avery moved ami Mr. White seconded that the letter from Wanjgamui

fte received and that no action be taken. —The motion was lost. Air. Whitaker >aid they would Rm>: to face the position that the Sa l ur<jay haif-holiday was going to be made uniformly compulsory. The present Min!it*T Pf 1-ibor was e\ i<lently determined to allow no option with regard to factories. Mr. Morev doubted the efficacy of any re-olution. The president said he was not a man to say a thing must be <o because a man in authority said it must be so. lie believed iu pushing for what the people wanted, ami he had no doubt that if the people demanded it the optional halfholiday would again be granted. It was stated that Mr Malonu had taken charge the petition asking the llorough Council to take a p°U <> a the half-holiday ijuestion, and that he v as meeting with considerable suef'ss. - Mr. Myrey .said he would like to s»e a provincial uniform half-holiday, but. failing that, he moved that the member for the district he rnpi' st'-d by tiniweting q/ employer- to endeavor to ,-»e- ---' cure amendment of the Factories An so ; that in all towns outside the f**ur ccn- ; tretj eLnise should be optional for both factories and shops and factories combined." invited by the chairman to speak, Mr Okey said he «aw little hope of the amendment being secured this session, or until the present sy-tem had been given a more lengthy trial. He had noticed that several 'district were now

taking step- to observe the uniform holiday. At the same time he would l*> pleased to further the wishes of this meeting, but he expected the Minister would have a big argument ill stating that New Plymouth hid not taken advantage of the legislation of last session. Mr. Oker agreed with the president in opposing the suggested collection of workmen'.- fines by employers, lor no man would do his '* ; ~t if he knew hV. was ' working olf a dead horse.'' Mr. A. Anibury said that the Government might extend the idea and empower tile various employers to detain wages for the collection of each other's debts. Mr. Okey thought the position m'ghl be met- bv compelling the trades unions to lodge a substantial deposit before tiling a dispute. At the same time lie waopposed to the imprisonment of pinplovees for non-payment of tines. Mr. Marks mill that employers were imprisoned, why not employees-; Mr. Okey thought the harm wOuld lie in the lioni-ing of these nun when they had served their sentence. IiUHISII I'UUTKAI.I, MATCH.

A letter was read from the m'j.i'l iiy oi tin. T.iranaki Rugby I'liion, burked ii|i bv tii" New Plymouth Rorough Coum-ii. a-kin-j that thi- weekly lia.lf-lmli.lay be ob-ervi-d on Wednesday tor thii JSiitiihTaranaki football niatcli.. Mr. Mores moved that tradespeople

be a-keil to ih'-i' their c-t iblishmenta iroin to .i pan. on tie' day (if U'te match. This would enable the visitors to iio their business

Mr. White seconded, and stilted that |i_. W.i- continually "having it thrown up" at him bv country people that w 111 ll 'le. I iiey i-.uu" i!i ll'Te for a big aflail' 1 lie siioj.s WIT'- ci'l-cil. il Hi 1 tll''V lin'!'

ii'.lc til nu iiuy Im-iii" —. ■■ IN 1)1 S11:11-> WJ'.KK.

Mi. x. 1.. |H>."iiili'iH. II|W!I the A—Oci i limi in support a li'ttiT trout the t'namliev <il OMn-

jjif-i;" tliui tli>' tiun -houhl vor to arran«" a di>j,};i v ot N *w Z«alan<l lie that In* liiiil lu'it ti'"in -rv«Tal , I jjOiipt- that tin 1 display. f-nt'ciallv in ! ( hn>U-hmvh. had In"'" t'l"' in''ans ron>i<kr.il)]i.' :»ii*l hvni^r-in-i ;ian ifS'Tva-'' of II' - , points out that »•> woidH Inincurred. ami tlr.it an exceptionally opp'rtunitv would occur in the ''JJntMi fool lull week," "lien there would he l.uiidmU of \Mt»i> to tin- town, who ,„„U fin,l ili*play<s ..MmmM. nud p«-niap- p-t an cy<>.open<'r in tin- malli-r uf N««\v Zealand'* pmdiK*t>. |1„. M-i-rrhiry llial Ibe id' I ,* v,.i- on." lh" u'llv drawback wa, tin--li"it time allowed b'lwrvn lio\v ;)!! I ill- -latC nf the lli-|»ljiyS. | Mr. nn«t'"h' , ri''" aduiil I'd thi>. I»nl -1:',1.h! tb.it II"' ili-|il»y l»>M I' l ' ill v.iiit'T. !'"!■ t m'- I'iilk " f 'lr;i|H'r-' Nmv ! /..:bii.| u i ;ili>r. I!„. v littler :i <-<.nlil lii M.- in Hi'' I WW. \jr. l.inlit'uinl til" • »"•' "'l' 1 |. • foul lii'.ir.l till- milt In- iwiiti"w"l m t'|„. tr.i.K iin.l no voice up""- 1 it