The Daily News. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1919. LACK OF LABOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1919, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1919. LACK OF LABOR.

It was generally considered that when the bulk of the members of the Dominion's Expeditionary Forces had been repatriated, there would automatically be released a sufficient number «of returned soldiers to fill the depleted ranks of labor. The" expected, however, has not happened, and it would seem that the position withregard to the supply of labor is little, if any, better than it was before the armistice. If the Government; is pressed to enter upon a prompt and vigorous programme of public works the stereotyped reply is that roads, railways, etc., will be pushed ahead when the necessary labor is available. It is the same with the hydro-electric scheme, the housing scheme, coal mining, and every other undertaking which depends mainly on labor. There are, however, grounds' for believing that the labor shortage is not really so acute as is generally represented, but that the Government will not pay the wages demanded. As matters are at present, men who can do a good day's manual work can select that which carries the -highest pay, nor should blame attach to them for studying their own interests, and this course will continue until it is adjusted by the law of supply and demand, both as to skilled and unskilled labor. The shortage of skilled labor is not peculiar to New Zealand, as the same trouble exists in Britain. Recently Dr. Addison stated that the reports of the lack of skilled labor were still, being received, thus impeding the prosecution of the housing scheme. Britain is also suffering from a restricted output, which, in turn, affects overseas buyers, and there is an outcry for assistance in promoting a combined effort by all classes to enable Britain to more than hold her own in the world's market- Shorter , hours are reducing the output, and even the higher wages paid for a 44-hour week, as against a 50-hour week, do not appear to have stimulated the workers to greater effort. Evidently is no disposition on ttye part of the worker, no matter in what country he pursues his calling, to give something ill return for the better conditions he has gained since the war broke out. Instead, of the good workman levelling down his output to that of the inferior or lazy workman, cannot he be induced to level up the latter to his own standard? Apparently not, and even though the labor Readers, whose earnestness of purpose is admitted, may do their best to stimulate the men to greater production, little, if any, good is likely to ensue. In connection with the building trade in Britain, an experiment is being made in the direction of a novel scheme of co-partnership, with direct interest in and control of 'the business by the workers concerned. With one exception, only ex-sailors and soldiers, who were building mechanics prior to the war, will be employed by this company, which is virtually a profit-sharing concern, to become a participating member in which every new employee has to serve a probation of two months. The details of the scheme have been carefully worked out, and appear to be based on fair and equitable terms. In all essentials it is a co-operative concern with certain new principles embodied, and the same sort of combination can be applied to every existing industry. The outstanding feature is the stimulus given to the men to increase production and cheapen the cost of the output. It carries out, moreover, the principles of organisation and unity that enabled the Allies to win the war. It is obvious that the greater the shortage of labor the more imperative is the need for intensity on the part of the workers, and to secure that they must be given a higher value for their labor. For New Zealand to merely encourage immigration of skilled and unskilled labor without the necessary organisation to secure the best results would not achieve the desired end. The adoption of schemes on some such basis as mentioned above would put an end , to the clamor for nationalisation;

it would solve most of the labor difficulties, and secure that increased production which is so essential to the country's progress. We have entered a new era, the •conditions of which necessitate the creation of opportunities for all to better their conditions and prospects, and by making labor conditions attractive there would be a eonsant flow of recruits of the best kind to the ranks of labormen directly interested in avoiding labor disputes, not in creating them. So far no intelligent effort has been made to place labor on a satisfactory footing. The sooner this is done ( the better it will be for the country and the people--