HON. J. CARROLL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3199, 21 April 1911, Page 5

HON. J. CARROLL.

THE RELATIONS OF LABOUR AND CAPITAL. [SPECIAL TO TIMES.] AUCKLAND, April 20. An interesting guest at the anniial dinner grten by the Auckland Pro\’incial Industrial Association was tlie Acting Prime Minister (Hon. Jas. Carroll), and the silver-tongued orator of the Dominion was in liapnv mood. In replying to tlie toast of “Parliament-,” the first point lie dealt on AA’as a remark relative to legislatWe rest, made by the proposer of the toast. This ivas, he said, only a phrase. Legislative rest Avas an impossibility. Legislative rest meant —Why send members to Parliament? Why have a constitution? He contended that they must be always on- the move and the members of tlieAssociation being present meant that they Avere banded together to protect their interests and move forward. He felt that if they valued! tlie prosperity of the country,' their commercial advancement and _ development, if they placed any significance on the ivell-be-mg of tlie people, they must study the commercial ihterests of the. country. The parties. Labour and. Capital, must work together and -in harmony. This was the problem they had to- face today all tlie Avorld over. They could not understand it in the older world, but here the people Avere- malleable and could learn by the disasters of the- older countries. The Association did not want to le too arrogant hut, AA-hile preserving tiheir own interests, should extend consideration to the other side. The question Avould be finally settled on common sense lines. Parliament had attempted to solve the problem by legislation, and tliev had the employees on one side and the employers on the other, against them. He believed that they Avould find imbued in all sections a true sense of fair play and Avhen they arrived at that understanding the problem- was solved. Labour a\-os undoubtedly absolutely necessary. Capital, on the other hand, could not be done without.