Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1901. ARBITATION ACT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 2 August 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1901. ARBITATION ACT.

Considerable amendments have been made by the House in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill in the clause giving an interpretation of trade union. It is provided that trade union means any trade union registered under the Trade Union Act of 1878 “whether registered under that Act before the passing of the principal Act or not.” Barristers as well as solicitors are precluded from appearing in an industrial dispute and some machinery amendments are made in the clauses relating to defunct unions. A new clause is inserted providing that in cases where cither of the parties shall interrupt the relationship of employer and employed by the dismissal of any of the employees or by any of the employees discontinuing to work the onus of proving that such discontinuance of work or such dismissal was not done in contravention to section 100, shall in every ease be on the employer if he dismisses, and oh the employee if he discontinues work.

POLICE OFFENCES’ BILL. The Police Offences’ Amendment Bill of the Minister of Justice has undergone considerable mutilation at the hands of the Joint Statutes’ Revision

Committee. The principal alteration proposed is the limiting of the offence of using foul language to within the hearing of persons passing in a public place in lieu of the view of hearing of or residing, therein. The bill proposed to extend the definition of idle and disorderly persons as follows : “ Habitually consorts with reputed thieves, or pr stitutes, or persons who have no visible means of support.” i he committee suggest the limitation

of the clause merely to those who consort with thieves or prostitutes.