THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1913. ALLEGED SHIPPING COMBINE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 30 May 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1913. ALLEGED SHIPPING COMBINE.

Mr- J. G. Wilson, the President of the Farmers'' Union' Conference, assumed a grave responsibility when he directed public attention to the prospect of a 7 combination between the Shipping Companies and a certain branch of labour. He practically took upon himself to deny the right of private enterprise to mainage its own business. The position that has been taken up by the Shipping Companies is surely not indefensible. If they prefer Labour Federationistg to rree Labourers, why should they not be conceded that preference? The farmers have no more right to tell the Shipping Companies whom they shall employ, than the Companies have to tell the farmers. It seems as though the Farmers' Union were animated by a fixed determination cO crush the Labour Federation out of existence. Why it should desire to achieve any such purpose one is at' a loss to know. Would the position of the farmer be improved in the least by the handling of his goods by registered free labourers in preference to non-regis-tered Labour FederationistsP Does the fact that a body of workers are registered under the Arbitration Act secure to the farmers an immunity against strikes? Does u mean that there will be any less possibility of industries being held up than under existing conditions ? If the farmers are going to support Unions that are registered under the Arbitration Act, how can they consistently oppose the registration of i farm labourerg under the same Aot? They can*not blow hot and cold on this question. A few years back the Arbitration Act was regarded by a large section of the farming community as a measure of tyranny and oppression. How oa» i* bow ha ri«w«d im tho lijfct *i %e»«6e»»««? Tk# famor

will have only himself to blame if his attitudo on the labour question is construed into one of hostility to labour interests. He has not been conspicuous in his desire for conciliation. On the contrary he has striven, in some districts, to produce a condition which i 8 inimical to industrial progress. We have a profound respect for Mr J. G. Wilson. But we are afraid that hia enthusiasm for the man upon the land occasionally leads him to adopt a compromising attitude towards the very interests should be expected to tispous?.