ARBITRATION BILL

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20492, 10 March 1932, Page 14

ARBITRATION BILL

OPEN LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER. CRITICISM BY EX-SECRETARY OF LABOUR. (rr.K..3 ASSOCIATION TBLESP.A.U.) WELLINGTON, Match 9. , Mr F.. W. T. Rowley, who for forty years was connected with the Labour Department, and for many years was its chief administrative officer, but has j now.retired, has written an open letter ! to the Pri'me Minister on the subject! ol' the amendment to the Industrial | Conciliation and Arbitration Act before Parliament. ! Mr Rowley- claims that his long ex- j porience of tho working of the Act entitles him to express an opinion. The Act, in his view, requires amendment, particularly in the interests of • the farming and exporting community, but the present Bill is drafted on wrong lines, and will do more harm than good, and cause grave injustico to a largo body of workors who have quietly and loyally supported this peaceful method of settling conditions of employment. Mr Rowley says that the real conflict which led up to the present industrial condition has lain not so much between employers and employed as between sheltered and unsheltered industries, and ho suggests as a remedy that instead of wage rates being fixed "according to the . artificial cost of living standard," they should bo based on the state of, trade from time to time; that for this purpose the constitution of the Arbitration Court should be altered by the addition of a representative of the public, whose special duty it would be to bring the state of trade before the Court, lie points out that in the past tho lay members of the Court have been representatives of sheltered industries, and those engaged in tho great exporting industry on which tho prosperity of the whole Dominion depends have not had a voice in' selecting these representatives. Mr Rowley contends that what is called "compulsory conciliation and optional arbitration" .must 'result in a reversion to the old barbarous system of strikes and lock-outs, and these weapons would be most readily seined by those engaged in handling exports. New Zealand would thus witness a return to the age of force instead of reason. For immediate purposes, to meet the existing depression. Mr Rowley considers that all that is required is a temporary measure giving power to reduce all award rates on account of the fall in world prices, and even, if necessary. to suspend-any of the awards for a certain period. CONFERENCE OF PARTIES.

NO PROMISES MADE. [From Odr Parliamentary. Reporter.] WELLINGTON, March 9. After hearing the views of "workers and employers on the Arbitration Bill yesterday and to-day and discussing with them the merits of its provisions, tho Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes and the Hon. A. Hamilton promised no more than Cabinet's most earnest consideration of their requests. For most of the afternoon Ministers were engaged on this conference, which was in camera, and at which the Employers' Federation, Alliance of Labour, and Trades and Labdur' Council vere represented. Air Forbes said at the conclusion that 110 promise had been given of a revision or an alteration of the Bill, but the discussions would be referred to at an early sitting of Cabinet. ' ,