LABOR PROBLEMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3279, 26 July 1911, Page 2

LABOR PROBLEMS.

EFFECT UPON OUR INDUSTRIES. MONEY MAY BE LESS PLENTIFUL. [SPECIAL TO TIMES.] AVELLINGTON, July 25. Some interesting remarks upon “Labor troubles” were made by the president at the conference ot the New Zealand Farmers’ Union to-day. After quoting from that part °i the speech of the president of the Bank o New Zealand, which declared that any industrial enterprise likely to require much labor was not viewed as a good .proposition, lie commented: “If this is what the Labor laws and the Labor leaders have succeeded in doing, it is a deplorable result. AAhat then mav we expect if tlie result was the same in the greatest of all our industries —the agricultural industry ? \\e are to be dragged before a Court, which after tlie most exhaustive hearing that lias been knovel since the Arbitration Court lias been set- up declared that they Avouldl not make an award. If we have no award, the bitterness of feeling will be raised between employer and employee, tlie large sums of money will be spent in tlie case and tlie whole industry disturbed ; while if we had an award it would be impossible to work under it without immense loss. The industry could not of course be stopped, the growth of wool, sheep, cattle, etc., would) have -to, go on, but on a different scale altogether, and modined in a great many respects. Fewer hands would be 1 employed and none w ould be the gainer, whilst the industry wonnl he seriously injured. I need not elaborate the'results, you yourselves know too well wliat it would be. “One result of this want of confidence has been that the money which would otherwise have been invested in industrial ventures have been turned into safer channels and money has been cheaper on mortgage than before. The Bank of New Zealand chairman however, considers The coming year promises to be one of low prices for commodities. and that there are strong indications that the produce year will yield a smaller return than the previous one.’ In financial circles, I am told, it is expected that money tor mortgage purposes will not be so plentiful later on andl this would seem likely for the total value of wool exported is nearly a million less than last year.”