INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1920, Page 2

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

COURAGEOUS AND ENERGETIC MINISTER WANTED. (Own Correspondent.) It is not surprising to find prominent Labor men protesting against the appointment tx£ the Hon. W. H. Herries as Minister for Labor. Mr. Herries is a popular member of the House and of the Ministry, and may be trusted to handle the labor Department fairly and conscientiously. But he has never shown much interest in industrial problems, and his administration of the Department during Mr. Massey's absence in London was characterised by courteous inactivity. It is known that Mr. Herries wishes to retire from the Ministry as soon as Mr. Massey can spare him, and he is not likely in the meantime to attempt dealing in a comprehensive way with the industrial unrest that is troubling New Zealand. A herculean task awaits an energetic and courageous Minister for Labor in this country. Mr. Mjissey had a probably good Minister for Labor within his reach in the Hon. G. J. Anderson, who has become Minister for Internal Affairs. For many years Mr. Anderson has been Chairman of the Labor Bills Committee of the House of Representatives. He has shown an active interest in Labor matters ever since he entered Parliament. Very many years ago, in tlhe days of Ballance and Seddon, Mr. Anderson was a radical member of the ''Knights of Labor." Much water has run under the bridge since then, and the present day Labor men' think, no doubt, that he has not kept in good company. But they would have been glad to see him at the head of the Labor Department during the life of the present Ministry.