The Daily News SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4. TRIUMPH FOR CONCILIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 181, 4 September 1909, Page 2

The Daily News SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4. TRIUMPH FOR CONCILIATION.

Once again there lias been ileniuiistmced the efficacy of conciliation, us compared with arbitration, as a dispute adjuster. Since the Conciliation Commissioners were appointed, ample proof lias 1 been given to justify the new departure, and their settlements have in every case been brought about without widening the breach between the disputants. The settleuiriit that has been arrived at in connection with the labor dispute at Utira (Jorge is a triumph lor conciliation, us well as a personal achievement for Mr. llallcy, the Conciliation Commissioner, who seems to have out, about his difficult task of reconciling the two parties in conllict with a considerable amount of tuct and good judgment. An easy and simple way was found out of the difficulty that was holding up a great national undertaking, the construction of one of the world's biggest tunnels, which is to connect the east and west coasts of the Soutli Island, and to open a new highway of trade that must materially assist in the development of the mineral and timber resources of the West Coast, as well as give stimulus to the industries of Canterbury by the provision of cheap coal. The union has very properly taken upon itself the responsibility of the tan: of the acetylene lamps which the miners were provided with for work ia the tunnel, and thus the loss that the contractors were being subjected to through the carelessness of the workers in losing and damaging the lamps will he stopped, and the work of excavating be put upon a more harmonious and satisfactory footing. ilessrs. JlcLcan and Son 3, who have undertaken this, one of the largest engineering works ever contracted for in New Zealand, and who are prosecuting tiieir big contract with a vigor and organisation that reflect the utmost credit upon the NewZealand firm, have been subjected to a good deal of loss and annoyance since the work commenced by labor disturbances of one sort and another, and their experience is calculated to add very considerably to the contingency cosi upon any similar undertaking in the future, which means that the State may have to pay many thousands of pounds more than it should legitimately do simply through the impossibility oi being able to gauge what demands may ■be put upon the contractors bv the laborers who are employed. l'urumately, however, the prospect of such a work being suspended by strike or lockout is diminished now that the machinery of our Arbitration and Conciliation Act is readjusted and found to be in good running order. New Zealand in recent years has had one or two socalled strikes, but they have heen of a very minor order as compared with the serious interruptions to trade and ! industry that are frequently occurring ] in the Old World. Last month a British blue-book was issued showing that during the year 1908 over 10,0U0,000 working days were wasted in the British Isles by strikes and lock-outs. The ( greatest loss was caused by the cotton- ► spinning dispute, in which 120,000 work- | people were concerned, the number of ► working days thrown away being no ► less than 4,750,000. Of the 3!)9 disputes y referred to in the report, only 8.5 per ► cent ended in favor of tiie men, while \ 25.2 resulted in favor of the employers, ► the remainder being compromised. New ► 'Zealand can fairly claim to have shown y a better way of settling disputes than ► by strikes and lock-outs, and whatever i may bo its shortcomings, the under- ► lying principles of the dominion's in- ► dustrial and conciliation law are sound. y The satisfactory administration of the ► law, however, depends a good deal upon * the judgment and resourcefulness of the gentlemen who have the onerous duty y of enforcing it, and the speedy and liar- ► monious settlement that has been ofJ fected at Otira leads' to the conclusion ► that the Government have been fortun- | ate in their selection of a Commissioner.

EDUCATION BY TRAVEL. A n interesting outgrowth of tlic Rhodes scheme of scholarships is to be found in the details of the movement now begun in England for the establishment of international travelling scholarships. It is an experiment, to extend over three years, at a total cost of £13,000, and lo be limited during that time to the universities of the United Kingdom. America, and Canada. Should the results be satisfactory, as they appear likely to prove, and funds be obtainable in sufficient amount, tlic international range of the system will be .extended. Hie arrangements in view will be controlled by two general committees, one in the Uniled Kingdom and the other jointly acting for the universities in tile United States and Canada. . It is proposed to provide 28 .scholarships, H of ■which will be available for universities in the United Kingdom, 10 for universities in the United States, and four for universities in Canada, The main purpose is to give selected students on either side of the Atlantic, who may be destined for leadership in public "life, opportunities for acquiring at the most impressionable period of their lives a personal acquaintance with kindred communities. In addition to academic qualifications the selected candidate should be what is properly known as an "allround" man. The selection is to be made on the lines of the Rltodcs scholarships. The main objects of the scheme are: To .promote interest in imperial, international, and domestic relation?, civic and social problems, and to foster a mutual sympathy and understanding, imperially and internationally, among students; and to promote interest in travel as an educational factor amoog the authorities of universities, with a view to tlic possibility of some kind of such training bcinj included in the regular curricula, in explanation of the scheme Mr. A. F. Shipley, a Cambridge master, who has taken a, close interest m it. states that one of the defects of the Rhodes scholarship system is that the scholar exercises little or no subsequent influence on .his native university 'He travels," says Mr. Shipley, "to Enjr>nd and .returns, not to conlinile Ms ■studies in his own university, but probably (in the case of an American) to us= his knowledge in Wall-street. The whole idea, of Hie present scheme, on the other hand, is to bring a larger atmosphere into the native university, either in the United Kingdom or on the other side of the Atlantic. The .selected students will make the tour between their third and fourth years at college, and will then return and make a report on their (ravels. And also, by spending another year at the. university from which they started, they will, consciously or miconsciously, instil new knowledge mid new ideas into their associates Tliev ■will Hie a leaven."