THE LABOR QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 166, 4 July 1908, Page 2

THE LABOR QUESTION.

as rr affects fakmlnO,

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The labor question and the roconiniendalious of the Conciliation Board in the farm laborers' dispute in Canteibury have been agitating the minds'of Auckland fanners, ami to-day the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association held a special meeting to go into the matter. There was a large attendance, mid the president (Air. John Massey)- occupied the chair. Mr. 1. ' Flanagan (Drury) thought the association should take up the attitude of the Farmers' Union and request the Government to abolish the Arbitration Act as far as the farming industry was concerned. They had seen how crookedly the Act had worked iu oilier trades, and how could it operate successfully in.th.! farming industry? The conditions recommended by the Canterbury Boar.l would make farming practically impossible in Auckland. If there was any justice on the other side he would not mind coming to an agreement, but they had only to look at the events of the past few months to sec how the Aet operated. No one could say any of the unions which had gone on strike had been fair or reasonable in their term-'. The unions considered that the Act should be strictly enforced aganst employers, but that the workers should use it, abuse it, or defy it as they wished, lie thought a slrong resolution should In- passed protesting against the Aet applying lo farmer*. Mr. Wallace said that if the wages conditions were made to work as in other trades there would be endless t rouble. A ploughman would do nothing else but plough, although the land might lie too wet for ploughing, mil though scores of other jobs were waiting to be done; and if a farm laborer was put on for u day's ploughing he would want to rank as a ploughman. A eir penter could not lie asked to paint a shed, or he would get into trouble with bis union. ]le did not believe the farm, laborers themselves had wanted the award. The whole strife had been-stirred up by agitators, lie moved, "That lliis association views with concern the attempt now being made by professional agitators to disturb the 'jxisting relations between farmers and their employees, anil considers that any attempt to impose arbitrary, unreasonable, and impracticable restrictions on the conduct of the agricultural and pastoral industry would be injurious to the Tfet interests of the bona lide wage-earners and unjust to the settlers who have spent, time and money and labor on the land, and detrimental lo the progress and prosperity of the country. Mr. Taylor seconded the motion, which was' carried unanimously.