The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, JUNE 5. 1908. THE ARBITRATION COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2209, 5 June 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, JUNE 5. 1908. THE ARBITRATION COURT.

The policy of the present Government in regard to the great problem of how to deal with industrial disputes appears to be one of entire subservience to the Union's. Ministers and tho Premier himself aro wandering up and down the country making fre•quent speeches; in which they plausibly assert the impartiality of their actions, but in tlie light of recent events these utterances can scarcely be given ’much weight. The present position appears to be that the .workers can flout tho Act to their hearts’ content and find ready means of escaping any unpleasant consequences. It has been plainly stated by the Premier that the last penalty, imprisonment, .is much too dreadful to bo imposed upon a worker, but it is significant that this punishment was not considered at all out of the way in the case of the Auckland employer, Air. Dixon. Then again, the Arbitration Court having apparently displayed too muclr conscientiousness to suit “the powers that he,’ has been placed in a most humiliating position. The Court was ’ reported as having left Chrstcliurch in haste last week in order to deal with the Auckland Tramways strike. On the way (suy6 the Wellington “Evening Post”), it must be presumed that rumors of its superfluity reached' the Court, for it has lingered a week in Wellington, considering mutters more or less important ; and now is announced as about to go to Westport. Nothing more lias been heard of the prosecution of upwards of 250 Auckland strikers, who calmly announced that they challenged the law with a full comprehension of their risk —if they have taken any risk. Apparently, the breach of the Arbitration'Act is to be ■passed over as at Demnision—or the imposition of a legal penalty may be

deferred' until it can lm collected from tho employers, according to tho curious inversion of tho Amending Bill presently to be submitted, to Parliament. Had tho Arbitration Court 7 goiib to Auckland it would have lound of course .another Court above to take possession, of • its 'territory; and 1 the interesting question which is tho real King, 0 r tho truo Popo, would have occurred again according to sovoral historical precedents. The mock' Court, as it is supported by tho Government, appears to hold a stronger portion than tho official Court, which is supported only by tho law. By .retreating to Westport, therefore, the Arbitration Court may bo showing that discretion which is tho moro prudent part of valor. Tho part played nowadays .by the' Arbitration Court resembles that of Punch’s wifo in the show. It is the lot of poor Judy to come up continually to bo knocked down again. AVlien tho Court' roaches AVestport it will find thero a. set of circumstances of which, apparently, it has at present no official cognisance. It was at the Deiiniston mine, AVestport, that some six months ago the workers refused to bo bound by an award of the Arbitration Court —and. they have not been bound. Sonic five months ago the Court visited AVestport, and dealt with tlie breach of the award, and menaced tho workers with the weight of its disploasu.ru-'-'if they kept 011 breaking. The workers took no notice, and, with the concurrence of the •Government, the breach has continued ever since. It is true-that the award seemed to require alteration, but tho Court has not been requestedto ratify tho alteration; and, by.settling a- dispute behind tho back of the Court, tho Government has made it evident that the Court need not 00 respected by workers)- at least. Now the Auckland dispute is to be settled in the same way—behind the back of tho proper authority for settlement. The Cabinot believesi apparently that this failure to support the Court and tho law will secure industrial peace. It is really .a sowing of dragons teeth for industrial war.