THE ARBITRATION ACT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2233, 9 November 1907, Page 4

THE ARBITRATION ACT.

SOAIE IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS. (Special to Times). WELLINGTON, CNov..7. The Labor Hills Committee lias made many -amendments in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Bill. A now clause provides that if any member of -an industrial Council fails without reason i bio cause to attend the -meeting of the Council at which the -decision of -the Council is intended to be given lie -may be removed -by -the .Government, or the -Governor may -appoint some qua lilted person in liis place. There is an addition to clause 7 providing that though an Industrial -Council shall he dissolved on -making its award the president of such Council shall continue to hold otlice during the currency of tho awunl, and may if -asked by the parties concerned, -give any interpretation of such award. In clause lit the line for the breaking of the award in tbo ease of a worker has been reduced to .CIO, tlie provision regarding the application of the line being -atthe discretion of the magistrate. Cln-use 20 has been struck out, and all lines -are, under -the amendment made, to he-paid into the Consolidated Fund. Section sof the principal Act is amended to provide that seven (instead of two) persons in the ease of employers, and twenty-five (instead of seven) persons in the case of workers, may bo registered as an industrial Union. In connection with the 'appointment of members of the Arbitration Court it -is proposed to -give every Union having not moro than 50 members one vote, and every Union having more than 50 members one vote for every 50 of its members. The ago of apprentices has been extended from 21 to 25 years. An addition lias been made to the clause regarding permits for -under-rate workers as -follows: ‘'Such permits shall only be valid for the person for which it is granted, but may be renewed on application. Any holder of a permit working contrary to the aware! after the expiration of such permit shall b e guilty of an offence, and liable to la penalty not exceeding £5. Clause 53 has been amended to provide that no member of -an Industrial Association as well as no member of a Union shall b u on the committee of management unless he has been or is engaged in the industry concerned. Thero lias been -added a proviso that this section shall not apply to any Industrial Union so long as the members o-f that Union are less -than 75 in number, or to any Industrial Union so long as' a majority of its members -are women. There is a new section providing for validation by the Court of things informally done if the Court so thinks lit. No barrister or solicitor is - to be allowed to appear before an Industrial Council on the hearing of an industrial -dispute. When the Bill was reported to tile House -by the chairman of the Labor Bills Committee (Air. Tanner), Air. .Alassey asked -whether the evidence would be printed and hi id on the table. Air. Tanner said that tho evidence with -the exception of a page or two was already printed. Air. -Alassey said he would like to have an assurance that the evidence would he laid unon .the table prior to the-Bill being "taken in committee. The -Minister for Labor (the -Hon. J. A. Millar) said that tlie whole of the evidence would bo laid on the table.