NEW ZEALAND EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8524, 29 August 1907, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION.

By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, August 28. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Employers' Federation commenced to-day. In moving the adoption of the annual report, the President (Mr T. Ballinger) made some comments on the labour questions, expressing approval of the appoint- i ment of Mr Pryor as organising sec- ! re tary. Referring to the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the slaughtermen's case, that strikers can be imprisoned for non-payment of fines, he said this was so far satisfactory, but the amount of the fine should be commensurate with the damage done to an employer's business, and to the interests of the colony. Generally this matter required the serious consideration of the conference, as the effect of the slaughtermen's case had •been to shake what little confidence the employers had in the Arbitration Act as far as binding the workers was concerned. Reference was also made to farmers and paid agitators, Mr Ballinger stating that now that ■farmers were being harassed by trades union agitators, it was to be hoped the fanning members in the House of Representatives would not allow these astute gentlemen to have their own way. It was claimed that farmers and workmen were on the best of terms, aftd the Act should be amended so as to exclude the farming industry from its operation. He contended that the bulk of the employers in cities and towns are also on the best of terms with their bona fide - employees, and that the whole trouble was caused by the paid agitator, who mace his living out of so-called disputes. The question of preference to unionists was touched upon by Mr Ballinger, who said "we must most emphatically object to compulsory preference in any form. Why should a very small minority force a large majority of workers into their unions?"

The conference "resolved that a return should be made to the underlying principles of the Act making xmions in place of individual members responsible for strikes and also that in all cases of alleged breaches the initiative should be taken by inspectors, and all fines should be paid into a consolidated fund. It was decided to recommend the affiliated associations that Mr S. Brown be again nominated as the employers' representative on the Arbitration Court, and Mr ¥/. Pryor as deputy representative.