THE ARBITRATION ACT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 165, 6 April 1908, Page 5

THE ARBITRATION ACT.

■ A 'REPLY TO MR. ERASER, M.P. , issue of April 2, Mr. Fraser, M.P., refers to me, and asks this question: " Oocs lie seriously mean tho public,to infer that unionists arc desirous of being freed from, legislation., under, the Act?" Now, J have ;no desire to :bo drawn ; into a news-paper,correspondence-.on; tho subject-of tho Arbitration Act,-.although I admit tho .subject is,.one of exceptional interest 'at thu present: time, but I feel that .it is due to .Mr: Fraseirj as a-matter of:courtesy,, that I. should .endeavour to answeY, his 'question. Let irie say, .then, that I believe there, aro, and have been for. some time; a large inumbor of ; unionists who are , desirous of being freed; from legislation under the' Act, and that'the,'number' is steadily increasing. At the-same timo,'/ I am . also of'.opinion that a large majority -of the unionists of' tho 'Doiminion are in favour of the Act, or .what may be regarded as the main principle of the Act, 'namely, the settlement of'mdus- ' trial disputes, byr compulsory arbitration. : What Mr. Fraser seems to be unaware of is ,the fact that it is not so'much'the Act ■itself that' the "unionists: find fault- with as its' administration, and perhaps it is becauso this {distinction has not 1 been sufficiently, em-, phasisod that he is able to' find : "a simplo way -out" ;when the question of' making the law, effective is under discussion. I ; am aware that the result of the'ballot taken bythe Denniston miners,which' gavea. majority of 72 against the Act, may bo quoted in opposition to tho view I have hero put forward,' but, even so, I am satisfied that investigation will prove the; soundness of that ,view >; -.'and : .'that,Vit will be found that the Denniston' miners have declared against the Act in consequonce of thei:.. distrust of its administration— I/am,: etc.,:.

JOHN RIGG. April 3, ISO 3.