THE ARBITRATION COURT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1937, 20 December 1913, Page 5

THE ARBITRATION COURT.

« WORKERS' REPRESENTATIVES.

Industrial unions registered under tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act are being asked at the present time to record their opinion by voto as to who should bo tho nominated workers' representative on tho Arbitration Court, a position at present held by Mr. J. A. M'Cullough. From tho number of papers already forwarded to tho Labour Department by unions, there appears to bo only two nominations for the position, Messrs. J, A. M'Cullough, of Christchurch (sitting member) and Mr. A. Rosser, of Auckland. It is understood that most of tlio Auckland Unions will support the candidature of Mr. Rosser, but tho votes so recorded are not likely to be sufficient to .disturb the support that, will bo accorded to Mr. M'Cullough.

As usual, here is a lively contest for the. position of ncting-nominated member of the Court (for tho workers) 1 . Thoso nominated (as shown by tho papers received) aro as follows: —Mr. T. Long, Auckland; Mr. E. J. Caroy, Wellington ; Mr. E. J. Howard, Wellington ; Mr. W. IV Young, Wellington; Mr. A. IT.- Cooper, Wellington; and Mr. R. Slater, Dunedin.

In voting for a candidate for either of tho above positions, a union has a voto for every fifty members it possesses. Thoro wero 322 Arbitration unions, with a membership of 60,622, on December 31, last, but sinco then the number lias been very largely increased, until it is computed that there aro in the Dominion about 72,000 Arbitrationist unionists, which will mean that it is possible to cast 1450 votes at the election of members of the Court. The largest union is tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Workers, which has about 7500 members, and is entitled to 147. votes. Tho results of tho eiection—it is really nomination and election in one —will not bo known until tho end of January. Tho new member and acting-member of tho Court will assume thoso positions from tho Tato of gazetting.