LABOUR AWARDS IN WAR TIME

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2321, 1 December 1914, Page 5

LABOUR AWARDS IN WAR TIME

| INTERESTING .RULING IN SYDNEY, i , (Rec. November 30, 9.10 p.m.) [ Sydney, November 30. In the Industrial Conciliation and' Arbitration Court Mr. Justine Heydon delivered judgment. in connection with a\i application' by a number of trade groups regarding the powers' of the Wages Boards during \yar time, arising out of the contention-'of .the chairman of the several boards that they should for a time cease to deal with applications to regulate wages. Mr. Justice Heydon s'aid that there was no direct provision in the Act empowering the Court to give the Boards such directions, but he thought that the Appellato Jurisdiction Court had justified it. After traversing the detrimental effects of the war on commerce and employment, and referring to the omens which pointed to a protracted war, Mr. Justice Heydon held : that the Government employees must not at present look for higher wages; as regards other workers, the presumption was against any claims for increases. "This ruling anplies to all cases before the Court". Things might develop favourably within a short time."

Ho therefore suggested that the. <>xistina; awards might be renewed for a short term, '.with the right' to apply for increases within that timo if tlie circumstances justified it.