CAPITAL AND LABOR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 14, 11 July 1911, Page 4

CAPITAL AND LABOR.

Judge Heydon, while delivering mput last week in the Xew South Wale* Industrial Court in the appeal of the Carcase Butchers' Association, made some highly interesting remarks on the relations between capital and htbor, ami the functions of the Courts of Arbitration. He sakl:—"[ should like to say that, ill my opinion, if we are to nuike arbitration successful, and to root it in the confidence of tire community, it must be dissociated from all connection with the manacling of the energies, the brains and the freedom of the organisers and managers of industries. I firmly believe that in Australia we all earnestly desire to avert the spectacle, so shameful in civilised and Christian countries, of extremes of starved and broken poverty «ml of bursting and insolent wealth. Wo intend that, if it is humanly possible, all shall get a fair share, and that the manhood, the independence. and tho comforts of the humblest shall be, maintained. J!ut the path to that does not lie through hobbled industries and hampered business, and restraints upon the production of wealth. Create wealth largely, distribute it fairly, should be our motto. Our broad principle should be: 'Protect the wages and conditions of the worker; protect the freedom of one employer.' The employee may say, f.'ive me a j|ood wage, considerate and humane conditions'; and may not say, ".Manage your business according to my idea.-,' ' The employer may say, 'The work I require must be done in the way and by the means I choose'; lie may not say, 'And von shall work for whatever pittance, during whatever hours, and in whatever foul air *and miserable surrounding;, 1 1 J dictate.'"