THE ARBITRATION ACT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2233, 3 July 1908, Page 2

THE ARBITRATION ACT.

GOVERNMENT URGED TO ACTION. RESOLUTION OF TRADES AND LABOR COUNCIL. United Press Association. Copyright DUNEDIN, July 2. Tlio Otago Trades and Labor Council, at a meeting this oyening, adopted the following resolution: That this Council views with alarm the tendency on the part of unions to strike against awards of the Arbitration Act, and strongly urges the Government to tako immediate steps to have the Conciliation and Arbitration Act amended in such a direction as will lestore the confidence previously reposed in the Act by the workers of the Dominion. THE ORIGINAL ACT WANTED. CONCILIATION ADVOCATED. [Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 2. The Wellington Trades and .Labor Council to-night adopted a lengthy manifesto dealing with Dr. Findlay’s recent speech on the Arbitration Act. The m mifeslo defends the Conciliation Boards, and advocates their extension of their powers. Elaborate figures are quoted to support the argument that wages have increased apart from the Arbitration Court. “We want the Act,” says the manifesto. “‘lmt we want it as originally conceived by the framer with, of course, such machinery amendments as experience has shown are essential. In the main principle the Act now allows of a triple method of settling industrial disputes. In the first instance, flic preliminary conference. the Conciliation Board, and in the technical disputes the special Board. No scheme offering greater variety can he wished for. The failure of tlie present Act is due to the fact- that employers have designedly' ignored the .Board and relied on the Court. We urge such legislation as will ensure finality to the decisions of the Conciliation Board. We urge the suggested machinery amendments of the Trades Conference t 0 facilitate the general working of the Act. AA'e submit that not by the Act alone will the workers of the Dominion reach their goal. The constitution of the Court, with its legal encumbrance* and formulae, and the unconscious bias of its president, make the odds two to one against the workers every _ time. The Court has of late, in addition to Its fiilure to substantially improve the industrial conditions of workers, attempted to usurp tiie power of the Legislature, and each attempt lias been with the object of depriving the worker of constitutional rights already granted. AVe, for the time being, advise the workers to adhere to the principle as an improved method of settling industrial disputes. Conciliation has always been'advocated by the workers, ami we again urge the importance of it. Only as a last resource should the Court in our opinion be resorted to.