INDUSTRIAL LAWS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 248, 8 July 1918, Page 6

INDUSTRIAL LAWS

. a DOMESTIC LEGISLATION IN WAR TIME FEDERATION OF LABOUR AND SIR JAMBS ALLEN Representative.* of the United Federation of Labour interviewed the ActingPrime Minister (Sir James Allen) on Saturday morning, in order to place before him some of the resolutions adopted by Hie annual conference of the 'euerntion last week. The delegation consisted of Mr. T. Bloodworth (president), tho Hon. i. T. Paul and Mr. H. Hmitev. The Hon. W. H. Herries, Minister of Labour, and tho Hon. W. B. S. Mac Donald, Minister of Mines, were present The Hon. J. T. Paul said that tho conference had protested again against the decision of the Government that no domestic legislation should be undertaken during the war. This decision, announced after the formation of the National Government, might have been a wise one in 1915. But Hie conference felt that, the prolongation of tho war had changed the position. The continued neglect of domestic legislation-had created a situation that was anomalous and wrong. He felt that the Government ought to recognise the importance of remedying defects in industrial legislation as speedily as possible, in order that the nation might hu ablo to put forth fte beat efforts now and after the war. The conference had urged that certain domestic legislation ought to receive the attention of Government and Parliament with the least possiblo. delay. The labour laws of this country linve never reached a form that could be regarded as final. Experiments had boon made year after year up to the outbreak of the war, and the time that had elapsed since then had revealed or-. Tors and defects. The Workers' Com-' pensulion Act and the Conciliation and Arbitration Act alood now in need of amendment in several directions, and it wae not reasonable to suggest that all legislation of tliia kind should Iμ held over until tho end of the war, when the attention of the Dominion would be concentrated on the problems of repatriation and reconstruction. If the Government would give an assurance that amending legislation would be considered, the Federation of Labour would forward its proposals. Mr. Bloodworth said it was important that, the Conciliation and Arbitration Act should bo amended so as to make awards binding on all the people engaged in an .-industry dealt with by the Court, It hnd been found in tho building trade, for example, that some people engaged in tho industry did not come under the award because .of tho operation of certain clauses of the Act. That was a state of affairs unfair both to employers and employees. Tho federation Volt, also, that the Workers' Compensation Act should bo amended to provide that workers should receive compensation from the date of injury. The present law allowed an interval before compensation became payable, and this was very unfair to the workers. Sir James Allen, in reply, said there was no doubt that when the. decision not to deal with (iomtstic legislation was reached the extension of the war up to t the present tinit was not foreseen. A short war had been expected, and the [Government and Parliament had felt that hi ordci to preserve harmony during a timo of great stress contentious J legislation should be avoided. The prolongation of the war might be a reason r'oi reconsidering the decision, but no could say nothing definite on this point in the absence of the two party leaders, ■Mr. Mitssey and Sir Joseph Ward. Ho would fioo that the representations of the ■clemitfthon were placed before the two leaders. In any case, nothing could ba none before the .session of Parliament find ho hoped that by that time Sir. , Massey and Sir Joseph Ward would J>o back in Neii- Zealand. He assured the deputation Hint every consideration would be given to the representations of the federation. If the ■amendments desired in labour laws were placed before Ministers additional arguments might be found io;r reconsidering the decision not lo deal with domestic legislation during the war but he could give no promise on that point. It was a matter for the full Übinet and for Parliament to consider