PRES. MACLAURIN'S LECTURE

President Maclaurin of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology spoke on "Some Social Experiments in New Zealand" in the Living Room of the Union last evening.

One of the most radical experiments in New Zealand has been in the handling of strikes. The government has the power to declare all strikes illegal and has divided the country up into industrial districts, each in charge of a Conciliation Board, which acts as a court for all labor disputes, subject to the final decision of the Arbitration Court. The success of this idea has been varied according to conditions.

Another typical feature of New Zealand is the increasing extension of the powers of the government. In regard to state control of railways in particular, the result has not been favorable, as these came to be operated and managed chiefly by politicians. Recently the control of the railways has been transfered into the hands of a special commission, but even now they are not operated as well as many of the private lines.