WORKING TOGETHER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 January 1939, Page 8

WORKING TOGETHER

LABOUR MINISTERS PLANS FOR INDUSTRY

POLICY OF CO-OPERATION NEEDED.

CONFIDENCE IN WELLINGTON.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day.

A suggestion that an advisory council. representing every section of industry, should be set up to discuss common problems with an unbiased mind was made by the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb, in an address to representatives of employers and workers’ organisations in Wellington yesterday.

The Minister said that under the old system industries affected by legislation had no opportunity to express their views till called on to give evidence after a Bill had been drafted. He desired to change that order of things and give the representatives of the employers and workers the chance of shaping the legislation themselves. Spokesmen for the Federation of Labour, the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union, the Employers’ Association, the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. the Wellington Manufacturers’ Association, the Sheepowners’ Federation, and other, bodies assured the Minister of full co-operation, and after a discussion on the procedure to be followed, it was decided that the delegates report the Minister's proposals to their organisations with a view to a further conference.

Mr Webb, who presided over an attendance of about 150, said that his purpose in calling them, together was to discuss general relationships throughout industries to see if something could be evolved to bring all concerned closer together in the hope of concentrating on common problems.

“Politics can be laid aside till their proper season,” he continued. “In the meantime we have to work together and we have to live together, and I am hoping we may be able to pull together for the good of New Zealand as a whole.

“The position of Minister of Labour is not very happy if all the different elements in society are at one another’s throats. It might be made a comparatively easy one if the people concerned worked together in a spirit of co-opera-tion and took part in the task of framing essential legislation.

MR WEBB’S PROPOSALS. “I want industries to be so organised that we shall be assured of receiving the maximum pay and the minimum number of hours. I desire that all. concerned should obtain the best possible conditions with a reasonable return for the investors in industry, also those in control, and the worker's: .

“I feel that the higher the standard of living we can arrange for the great mass of the people the better it will be for everybody. This shadow-sparring at each other won't get us very far,..< J Instead of pelting stones at.each, other ■. over the fence we should bo throwing pieces of wisdom and knowledge at' each other.” Mr Webb said he hoped an advisory council, representing every section of industry, would be set up with provision for the appointment' of a national council to promote a better understanding between employers and workers and to increase production. The advisory council would also consider legislative proposals by the Minister of Labour. There was ample

scope for expansion, thus providing skilled employment for men and wome. There were probably 20,000 men on relief works; they were doing good jobs, but they hail to be reabsorbed into industry. "My desire," he added, "is that representatives of all sections shall meet together in a spirit of co-operation and approach their problem from the point of view of New Zealand. If that is done I am confident we will be able to bring about better relation.; than exist at present. BALANCING PRODUCTION.

"We have to concentrate on a more balanced form of production within New Zealand. We must develop our secondary industries. It is my opinion that there is so much goodwill in every section of the community that if only it could be developed in the right channels our problems would be much easier to solve.

“We are going on with the job with or without your co-operation, but I want to co-operate with you so that I can got the best knowledge and the best co-operation the country can provide.”

Replying to a question, the Minister suggested that representatives of the employers’ and employees’ organisations should form industrial councils, and if thought necessary a central or national governing body could be set up through which opinions concerning legislation, both present and future, could be directed to the Minister. Such opinions would receive his full consideration.

In reply to Mr P. E. Pattrick, president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, the Minister said the Government would confer with the national council before legislation was passed.

Mr J. Roberts, secretary of the Now Zealand Waterside Workers' Union, said he believed the council should go into the whole economics of industry. It would be possible for it to undertake a good part of the work now performed by conciliation and arbitration proceedings. Workers would gladly cooperate.