The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1878.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 86, 7 August 1878, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1878.

Amongst the iriew Bills introduced by the Government since the. opening of the Sessipiii there are two which call for more'thaii a passing notice. ■ We allude to the Trades ;Uni on and Cruelty to Animals Acts, the former of which has Been brought forward by the Attornej-Greneral/tho .Hon. St6tjt. We will, however^ at presont confine oiir remarks to the first, whiph is entitled "An Act for -the Regulation and Management of•Trades m New Zealand." The very name of the subjectii/pori which it is proposed to legislate is ' one to which there is such a general objection, that; it requires no small degree of veoiisage to seek to legalise such combinations; We believe m the.: working-man being m a position to maintain his just rights and der fend his privileges; while we also'; hold tjiat an arbitrary exercise of power, no matter by wKom' wielded, is an evil to be deplored, and -the very highest proof that can Wgiven of thej right to possess power is ' the temperate, just, and , equitable manner m which authority is exorcised. That the measure should be introduced vby tho principal Law Officer of the Grown, is'sufiieient guarantee that such ■combinations 'will only be organised for legitimate protection and safeguard. Its provisions are to render the acts of such societies lawful, arid give ,the members the same opportunity ; of disposing of their labour as other classes of the community have. In gi ving the : "defir nitibn of the words " trade uuibny' the i . second clause of the Bill sets forth:— •-_;■_■■ -- v - ' ''■ \ : The term "trade union" means any combin"ation,whetltfir temporary or perv ni^nent, for regulating the relations be T tween workmein and masters, or between workmen and, workmen, or between masters: and piasters, or for imposing restricMvo conditions on the conduct of any trade orf business, whether such combination would or would not, if this Act had not ibeen passed; hayo been deemedto have been an Unlawful combinati.oii, by reason of some ono or more of itsfipiirposos being ia restraint of trade. .: ..-_■. i Thb provisions of the Ac%i however, wiiljnbt attoct any agroemGnt bo--t.Wo'en partners as to their own business ; any agreement between an employer .and. those employed by him as to such employment ; or any agreement m; consideration of the sale of the good will -of a business, or of instruction m any profession, ■trade; ! or ! handiciiaf t;1 w.hile^at r the\saino -tiirie no \ cou r.^ shall -bp '■ able to : entertain- legaji tpjpoQeedings broughti ot^ breaches of \the various;. agrequieuts under which societies may bo fbrined. In the .Old Country not bnly : itre. 'all classed of labor, regulated by Trades Unions, but of late j idato they have beon further supplotnbnred by Labor Councils. All over the Ujiited States they hold sway, and; Sydney, Melbourne,- Adelaide, aridi, coming nearer home, Dunedin I jind ASjgkland can boast of the possession ■ X)f very- strongly organised Ijabor Councils;^l^p know there is 'a bertain po|i|io;n of capitalists or employers on whom the more mention of a trade 'Union produces the same effect as dees the.flourishing of a red rag m the face of a mad bull. They hoar of and troat combination as they would incipient mutiny, and most errbneouMy imagine that the rights and" privileges of the men can only be protected by tKe s.acrifice of the interests pf the nmstors. That puch is a most egregious mistake has been proven over and ovbr again- ; butthpse who : hold the; opinion are wedded to it that they will not— not cannot— be convinced to the'coii-;'t'rary.i--'-;Mr. Stout since his adrent m the ppliticai arena has cerfcairtly ■set himself about -the work of re?fprm m a determined; manner, and "aithough:somepf the measures iritroduced by r h i m h ay e no t been altogether popular^— such as the : Local Option Bill — still, his efforts are worthy of the highoßtcommendafion, ■arid m grappling with a questipn of pf such delicacy , and hedged m with such difficulty, he has shown that he is riot; Waiitirig : m courage to carry out what^ her^conceives will tend to the^welfare of th.c body politic, -l^at.

a prominent member of the legal profession, and a Minister of the Crown, should, without agitatipn or pressure, take the initiative and become the mover of a measure for the protection by law of combination amongst the working class, is only another proof that the Colonies m. many things are ahead of the Home Country, and m none more so than m the matter of tei ornv VQf course such combinations do exist at home, but they hare not been won without a long and stubborn struggle, determined opposition on the part of capitalists, and certainly discouragement rather than aid from the Government of the day.