THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1894. OUR STATUTES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2746, 4 December 1894, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1894. OUR STATUTES.

Ik a previous issue we promised to give a, synopsis of the principal Acts passed last session, and we now hasten to do so. By “The Conspiracy Law Amendment Act, 1894,” the brutal code of law's which made combinations of workmen conspiracies, and rendered them liable to serve punishment, has been swept away. Under these laws, if a few men agreed to strike for a rise of wages, or for any other reason regarding their relations with their employers, they could be indicted for conspiracy, although guilty of no wrong-doing. This has been done away with, and every combination of persons can now do anything which one person can do; that is, it shall not henceforward be a crime for workmen to combine together for their mutual benefit. The Acts of Queen Elizabeth, George 1, and Gteorgo IV. are now repealed in this coL Mi y» an d have no effect whatsoever. An exception is made in the case of persons engaged in supplying gas, electric light, or water to any town or city. Such persons must give fourteen days’ notice before leaving their employment. We are glad that the brutal laws of the brutal past have been swept away, and that the enlightenment of the close of the 19th century has led to a more human way of dealing with these matters. Apropos of this we may say that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, under which we trust strikes are to be ended forever in this colony, is also a very important measure. This is an Act of 91 clauses, and is divided into five parts. The first part deals chiefly with the interpretation of terms, and the machinery of the measure. Every society, of either worhmen or employers of labour, lawfully associated together for protecting their own interests, shall have rules and regulations, and be registered by the Registrar of Friendly Societies. The smaller societies which must have a membership of not less than seven persons, may combine together and form an industrial association, and be. registered in the same way. The smaller trades unions as well as the councils of combined unions are thus recognised, so as to make the Act as farreaching as possible. lu the second part provision is made for employers and employed agreeing amongst themselves, as regards any difference arising between them, and such agreement shall be binding under a stated penalty. The third part oromias for conciliation when employers |)C j cannot agree amongst themselves." ie to be divided into industrial i-hc muons of employers and em,. Boards of Conciliation. shall consist of an equal number cn . representatives of both parties. The number shall be not less than 4 or more than 6 persons, besides a chairman, whom the board will elect at Ihoir first meeting, and who must be “some impartial person not being of their own number.” A board, thus constituted, holds office for throe years, and if the unions fail to elect boards the Governor appoints them. The boards thus constituted, will endeavour to settle all trade disputes, and if they can get the people to agree, there is an end of the trouble. If, on the other hand, the disputants cannot be conciliated the board then refers the matter to the » ourt of Arbitration. This court consists of a Judge of the Supreme Court, who shall preside, aud two ot hers, one recommended by the employers’ association, aud one by the trades unions. Th ■ court shall have jurisdiction all over the colony, aud shall consider all disputes referred to it iu accordance with equity aud good conscience. No lawyer will be allow ed unless both parties agree to it, and the expenses are to be borne by the party adjudged to have been in the wrong; Powers are given to the judge to enforce compliance with the awards of the court, aud provisions are made for punishing disobedience. The railway employees are the only publ c servants who can take advantage of this Act. Such is the Conciliation aud Arbitration Act. It provides :—lst, for employers and employed settling their disputes quietly among themselves, aud for making such agreement binding on both. 2nd. For Boards of Conciliation selected from both parties tendering advice, and endeavoring to reconcile them. 3rd. For a court vested with powers to settle disputes, and make the paities

to it obey its decisions.; This measure met with much opposition from employers, but we have never been able to understand why. It settles for ever trade disputes, we shall never again have strikes, and it appears to us thrt that is a “ a consummation devoutly to be wished.”

THE OUTLOOK.

Apparently it is useless for anyone to attempt to pierce the thickening gloom which is overshadowing the world at present. We had hopes that the opening of the American ports to our wool this year would increase the demand for it, and that consequently the prices would be better. There was every reason to expect it. For about two years America has been discussing the tariff question, and during that time there has been a great falling off in production in that country. Many of the factories were shut up, or only running half time, and Americans were not buying wool because they did not know whether the duty would or would not be taken off. These two facts would lead anyone to conclude that owing to partial cessation of production America would have worked off her old stock, and that when the question of the tariff had been finally settled she would go to work with renewed vigor. Nothing could be more natural than such a conclusion, but there is the fact staring us in the face. America shows no more signs of activity than any other country. Stagnation prevails everywhere, and prices continue to go down lower and lower. The outlook is not bright, but it is just as well for us to look at it fairly and squarely. Things may turn when we least expect it, but so far as present appearances go we cannot sea the slightest hope of better prices, and would not advise farmers to store grain or hold out for better times. For the time being, at any rate, we must all put up with less income than we have hitherto been enjoying, and the sooner we reconcile ourselves to this the happier we shall be. There is something radically wrong somewhere, and until it is righted things cannot imgrove. At any rate this district ought to be able to hold its own against the world. We have the best land in the country, and it is well settled. It is not heavily encumbered. Our farmers are on the whole in a sound position, and we ought to be able to hold out as long as any people in the world. We have recently shown how foolish our farmers have been in the past in refusing to assist the industries started for their benefit. Let them look around them now and see how things are. Wheat half-a-crowu a bushel, batter three pence per lb, and everything else proportionately depreciated. Why not make another start 1 Mr Olulee some time ago attempted to establish creameries, but our farmers would not take the trouble to attend the meetings convened by him. Would it not be well to reconsider the subject now ? Creameries and factories are successful all over the colony, why should they not be so here? We warn fanners that they had better put their shoulders to the wheel, instead of waiting until the price of wheat goes up. So far as we can see there is very little hope for that at present, and if they were wise they would try something else.

LAND SETTLEMENT.

The Premier, in Dunedin last week, gave a lecture to a deputation of the unemployed which will doubtless do them good. The meu demanded work, but the Premier told them it was no use depending on the Government for employment. Ho would do what he could in the meantime, but he warned them that the time when they could not look to the Goverumentfor work was drawing nearerand nearer to a close every year. Public works would not be continued always; in fact, in a few years expenditure on them would cease, and Government would not then be able to give employment. The only hope working men had was to settle on the land, and for this reason the Government had made land settlement the leading feature of their policy. Land would be found for the unemployed very shortly in districts where public works were under construction. On this land they could build for themselves homes into which they could take their wives and families, aud earn good wages on the public w orks. The Government intended to give them every possible facility, to the extent of assisting to baild houses for them, but he warned them that there was no hope for them unless they agreed to settle on the land permanently and make a home there. Without a doilbt the Premier is perfectly right. Bad as farming is, and cheap as are its products, there is no industry in which one has less risk to run. A man settled on a few acres of land need not starve. If things come to the worst be pan grow plenty of potatoes and other vegetables, and cultivate a vegetarian appetite, There is, we are led to believe, some land to be opened in this district immediately. The Arowhonua village settlers are to some land, aud there is besides more land for settlement. This is good nows for working men, for without a doubt there is no other solid way of providing for tfiem. COLONEL FOX. Colonel Fox appears to us to be “ a bit off.” He came to this colony under an agreement for five years, and after having bombarded with Billingsgate most of the yoinnt(W» of the colony, he opened fire on tbs Premier himself. The gallant 1 thought, m doubt, that he would Coloue. ’ . roa jj9 volunteers, rule everybody, ’-noo to whatever Government, ana all, u- • „ n£ j h ow . tune lie liked to play. Ho fou. ever, that, in christy minstrel parlance, ho was “ fooling with the wrong man, when he tackled Mr Seddon. He got tho worst of it, had his engagement cancelled, and is now getting £2OO a year loss. But as he could not bully Mr Soddon, he is apparently determined to take it out of the volunteers, as will be seen by a report published elsewhere. His conduct appears scandalous, aud does not seem to he that of a sane man. Hia way of treating meu who give their time for nothing is entirely wrong, and will, if persisted in, cause the whole force to resign. Colonel Fox’s function is to teach, but not to insult, volunteers, and if his conduct is tolerated, there will not be many volunteers to be either taught or insulted before long. It is right enough to direct attention to weaknesses, and to show how to improve, but these things might be done quietly, and would have been done so by a man of sense. The sooner the Government retrenches Colonel Fox the better for volunteering.