ARBITRATION SYSTEM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 876, 23 July 1910, Page 12

ARBITRATION SYSTEM.

REPORT FOR YT.AR. PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS. The industrial arbitration system has been giaatly benefited during the year by the work of the commissioners' und Counoiis of Conciktion (etatod Mr. E. Tregear, Secretary for Labour, in the annual leport of the Department). The Court of Arbitration has been relieved from overpressure, the agreements brought about between employers and employed by conciliatory measures have produced a more pacific spirit in regard to disputes, and there has been a clear gain to the State in point of-economy over the old system of Conciliation Boards. The following table compares the expenditure on the Conciliation Boards during the year 1908-9, with that ol the Conciliation Councils ol 19U9-10. The expenses of the Arbitration Court are also given for the two years. The salaries of members of the Court (£2800) and of the Conciliation Commissioners (£1500) are not included in these totals during the years compared:— 1908-9. 1909-10. £. s. d. £ 8. d. Boards UTi 12 3 Ul4 0 Councils _.. - 1.062 1 10 Arbitration Court 2,536 16 7 1,525 13 t .£4,009 8 10 .£2,602 9 I Awards had the effect of keeping the living-wage intact through the stress of last winter. The provision b the amending Act giving to inspectors the issue of • under-rate_ workers' permita has been highly satisfactory. The expenses of administering the Act for the year, so far as the assessors of the Councils of Conciliation are concerned, are as follow.:— Industrial District. Total. £ s. <L Northern and Taranaki J. 393 17 3 Wellington, Marlborough, Nel- ; son, aud Westland 118 16 1 Canterbury and Otago and Southland .... 328 16 9 " ' ,£8« 10 0 The travelling expenses, 'etc., of the Commissioners of Conciliation amounted to £220 Us. 10d., whilst those of the Arbitration Court amounted to £1,525 13s. 3d. • Very great advantage in regard to rapidity of procedure and facility of administration resulted - from the stipendiary magistrates dealing with cases of breach of award. Some drawbacks, however, have appeared in this connection, among which are mentioned the different light in which one magistrate regards industrial questions compared 'with another magistrate's views. Heavj fines are given by one magistrate, nominal fines and dismissals .by another, for similar or' • equal industrial" offences. So also there is great loss -of time in explaining technicalities in Magistrate's Court—the Arbitration Court understands its own award, and needs no explanation. Tie suggestion has been made, as & desirable direction for amendment in the Act, that "preference to unionists" in an award should apply only to those who 'are "financial" —i.e., who have kept their dues and fees properly paid up- ._ ,