THE INDUSTRIAL LAWS

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 880, 28 July 1910, Page 5

THE INDUSTRIAL LAWS

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS. NUMEROUS ALTERATIONS URGED. ARBITRATION ACT DISCUSSED.' Quite a number of important amend-, ments to the industrial law were suggested by a deputation representing the Trades and Labour Council which-waited upon the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) and the Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister for Labour) yesterday. Mr. Carey (Wellington), who was the principal speaker, said the trades unions wero not yet prepared to throw over the Arbitration Act. They felt, however, that several amendments were necessary in order to obviato injustices. • It was proposed to ease the hardships on work-, ers as a result of the strike clauses. Unions and not individual workers should be made responsible for breaches of those provisions. As regards employers' statements of profit and loss, it was felt that the bonks ul' the employers should bo open to official inspection. When onco an agreement was adopted by assessors it should be possible to have it converted into au award .without de- ■ lay. Delegates at the' conference also, decided to ask that greater facilities should be given for obtaining Dominion awards. Sittings of the Court of Arbi-" trutiou, it was considered, should be more regular. There should be no longer . period than two months between the sittings in the main ccntres. ■ More effective clauses should be inserted with reference to the wages and. overtime book, ill awards should provide- for preference to unionists not • more than three monthß in arrears. Then again it was felt that ■ nil employers in a district should ba parties to an award without special notification.

The Court And The Act. It hud been felt for some years that, the president of the Court of Arbitration had'not got hold of the true sense and purpose of the Act, and owing to the fact that the administration of the Court had been biased—they did not think consciously—the workers had not received the benefits under' the Act to which they were entitled. The basio principles as- to the framing of awards should be uniform. It was felt that the maximum number of hours should be fixed; also that no award should provide for less than t living wage. It was felt that one man—the president—conld not alone settle these matters so as to give general satislaction. The hearing of alleged. breaches of awards by magistrates had not given satisfaction. As the unions had now changed tlicir minds on the subject, they asked that the old system should be reverted to. It should be clearly laid down that 'when Parliament fixes the maximum number' of hours or the holidays, the Court of Arbitration shall not have the right to over-ride decisions. .Further amendments relating 'to the compensation clauses were necessary. It' was found that some workers—slaughtermen, for instance—were debarred the compensation privileges, because they at times earned more thin £o per week. In conclusion, Mr. Carey contended that the State labour agencies system should be extended. Private registry offices should, it was felt, be abolished.

Use of Unions' Funds. Mr. Whiting (Christchurohj held that unions should have the right to use their funds for political purposes or any" other purpose supported by a majority, of members. This proposition,, he said, was carried unanimously by the conference. He also.spoke in favour of unions having the power to sue for breaches of awards; for shorter hours of work; for. the abolition of overtime; for mote-oar drivers.to be certificated. Mr. Whiting also dealt with the need for State intervention, in regard to monopolies. ; Mr. Young (Chrisichurch*)' stated thai the conference was in favour, of the State owning the ferry service .between ."Wellington and Christchurch, of State* colliers to bring the coal from the State mines, of State sawmills, and of a State bank; It also felt that it'should be made compulsory that articles manufactured- in New Zealand should be branded to that effect. The conference favoured the carrying on of public works by day. labour. Then, again, the Legislative Council should be made elective "with a.view to •its ultimate abolition. The unions interested held that in future -the Government should have its requirements in tnu way of flanged boiler plates met in the Dominion. Another proposal of the conference was that any volunteer should have the right of., appeal from a courtmartial to a civil court. The need for * universal plumbers'' registration fee was also emphasised.

/ One Court,lnsufficient. ■ Sir Joseph Ward (who referred briefly to the requests) 6aid..that he did not quite fall into the idea that the settlement of all industrial matters should bo left to one Court. The same conditions which brought forth the request that magistrates should hear cases.might again arise. One Court could not possibly overtake the whole of the work. The whole matter would' shortly be considered with a view to seeing what could bo done to remedy weaknesses in the. Act.

The Hon. J. A. Jlillar (Minister. lor Labour) said that it would be impossible to deal with some of the matters in question, as tho Government's amending Legislation with reference to the Factories Act,' Shops and Offices. Act, the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Act had all been printed, and would bo circulated very shortly. If he were now to wait to consider all the amendments—especially those proposed in regard to the .Conciliation and Arbitration Act—some of the Bills would have to be kept back this session. Those amendments which had been piomisfd were included in the Bills. Some of those which were now proposed he had never considered. There might still be time, however, for, something more to be done. With reference to one of the proposals lie would like to point out that' the basis of the Conrt of Arbitration was equity, and he hoped that that basis would be kept.

Should Magistrates Hear Cases? As regards another proposal that magistrates should not continue to hear alleged breaches of awards, he would also like to make a few remarks. It "had been found that the magistrates were doing equally as good work as the Court of Arbitration. There had been only i:i per cent, of dismissals by magistrates as against 16 per cent, by the Court of Arbitration. Then again, it" had been found that the fines inflicted by magistrates were, on the average higher than those imposed by tli'e Court of Arbitration. Another matter to which ,he should draw attention was the claim that sittings of the Court ol Arbitration should be more regular. One of the causes of complaint was that at present difficulty was experienced in keeping witmsses together. In fact,- numbers of disputes, it was alleged, never came on at all. He did not see how.any great improvement in this direction could be efftcted. Sittings could not be held more frequently at tho chief centrcs than once a quarter. The work of the Court had been reduced as the result of the appointment of the Conciliation Commissioners, and he hoped to still'further mliico the amount of its work. If, however, breaches were not to be investigated by magistrates as at present it would mean an increasa in tho volume of the work.