The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact Justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, SEP. 2, 1890.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2830, 2 September 1890, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact Justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, SEP. 2, 1890.

<. kiitaim,y there is noihingso niucli occupying mens minds at the prosent time as the labour movement i^ni11ou throughout the world. We, in New Zealand, have our share, and the pessimists among us am uttering the usual forebodings. Capital if to be driven out of the country, enterprise to he killed, no one will be foolish enough to put his money into any operations dependent on labour, and other cries of a similar kind are raised around us. 'L'hat " great dis* urbance of , \i.*tiug rel 'iu!':; ilikely to occur, \w readily iuiit. lint, relying on Uie o.:[-eii< .e. of the. past in oilier covnf.rios, na well us among oursulv«K, we believe that changes will i.e slow and time given to adapt (.iirsi'bw- 'o altered eircurn

stances. Our working people, of all kinds, are too well oil', too well aiitl too scusiUc, to kill tin; ;roosi' that, lays the golden upon which nil depend. Tlipv have gimi two striking proofs of this disposition. First then j wns tho lont;, aooravated and hitter I'ctonc strike lit tho woollt.'n mills there. An urraniouiHitifc was come to last, and then ipnv disputes broke out between the men and the company. They were left to the arbitration of the union, and after careful enquiry a decision was oiven against the men, who returned to their work, tivicl hsive gone on quietly o\er sincf. i The second was in the long, intricate, and ultimately successful negotiations with the Knilway Commissioners, which came to a termination creditable to all parties. We arc now, however, face to f-ice with the sjreat labour organisation of Australia, in tho present difficulty between the Union Steamship Company and their employees, before which the coal-miners' dispute on the West Coast, and the case of Whitconibe and Tombs sinks into insignificance. But we have yet to see the end of each of them, and meanwhile depreca'.e tho hot language and anticipations of ovil so"freely indulged by many irresponsible persons and by some newspapers. Such language can only create mistrust and ill-leeiing on both sides, and tend to bring about the evils it professes most to dread. If the Unions aro just and reasonable, they will undoubtedly carry public opinion with them, and'tlieir strength be respectable. If they allow themselves to become otherwise, or to be guided by interested, selfish, ignorant, or violent men, public respect will flee from them and they will themselves helpless and useless, lhey are too sensible not to see this themselves, and we have little fear that they will not bear it continually in mind. Tho danger, if there be comes from without, and not from within these bodies. On tho one hand th'oro aro the loud stump politicians eager to show their newborn zeal for li the working man" and their devotion to his political and social interests. Such men would do infinite harm -if it were not that none sees more quickly through thein than those whom they vainly thirilc aro being cajoled. Go to any large public meeting. Mark the number of intelligent faces in the close-packed, earnest crowd. "Witness the attention with which they follow the speaker. Thev will cheer to the echo any lofty sentiment, any appeal to their higher feelings. They will equally cheer loud protestations of devotion to their interests and of zeal for their welfare. But see how easily that can be carried too far. and murk how readily arises the cry of '"bosh when flattery is laid on too thick. Those who have attended public meetings must have observed this, and those who have mixed with " working men themselves must have learned still more. That the lot of many among them is hard, they know and feel. That they are becoming deeply impregnated with new ideas that must gradually lead to great changes, is also sure, lint when they go to tho. poll it is seldom to tho braving professor but to the man whom they believe to be honestly in sympathy witn tneir aspirations, that their votes are given. I.et them be convinced in this point, let their confidence be once gained, and the bettor informed, better read, and better educated the candidate, tho more readily does he become their choice. Others may amuse them at public meetings, but beyond that the men themselves are too shrewd to go. The moral that we wish to draw is this, that to abuse and prophecy evil from the Unions spreading so widely around us, is neither reasonable nor wise. Too much of this goes on in various directions. It can do no good and is likely to do much harm. The Unions are a great fact so far as the employed are concerned. There is no reason why unions of employers should not also be organised, and deal, face to face and in good feeling with those whom they employ. To rail is more than folly. To recognise facts and deal with the position, in its news aspects by new means, could not fail to bo good to all. The employers in some cases need protection from the individual undercutting that often forces others to follow suit, and ends in bringing all into ill-favour with those who are employed. fu other cases they need a means of promptly and authoritatively conferring in the infancy of disputes, while reason can yet be used, flie opportunity lost and force once resorted to on either side, a long and bitter eoullicii brings disaster upon all. it has been so in England and in Australia, and threatens to be so with us if angry feeling, hitherto happily absent, be allowed to rise. Letter than any courts of conciliation would be the establishment of conlidence and of a readiness to seek an amicablc settlement on both sides. We believe this to be more practicable in New Zealand than in the old countries, or even Australia. So far, we have no ill-feeling, or speak of ill-feeling, between the various classes in this country. Ho far, too, our people are, on the whole, well off and contented in the country districts, whatever they may be in the congested towns. Courts of conciliation, if so formed as to command the confidence of both sides, might occasionally lie used with advantage. But our faith is greater in the good sense and good feeling generally shown in these disputes/ Trusting to these, we lelieve would be the safest and the best course. It will at least be ample time to seek other me.ins w lien thev are found to tail.