COURT WITHOUT JUDGE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 83, 24 April 1937, Page 6

COURT WITHOUT JUDGE

Telegraph— Press Association.)

Unusual Procedure Adopted at Auckland HASTENING BUSINESS

(By

' . AUCKLAND, Last Night. A sitting of the Arbitration Court of a very unusual character in that there was no presiding jiidge present was held in Auckland to-day. The special procedure was necessitated through the absence of Mr J astice Page on sick leave and was adopted in an effort to expedite business that has accumulated for tho Court. The business before the Court was Tecommendations made in 22 indnstrial disputes in which complete a greemont had . been reached between the parties in.Conciliation Council. The Court was Tepresented by Messrs A. L. Monteith, assessor for unions, and W. Cecil Prime* employers' representative. Explaining ■ the position at the outset, Mr Monteith, who presided, said that this sitting had been fixed by Mr Justice Northcroft under Section 78 of the Industrial ConciHation and Arbitration Act, 1925. The sittings would be adjourned to Christchurch, where any awards would be made on April 29, when the Court was properly constituted. In the meantime, so that parties could get their awards and to save unduo- delay, Mr Prime and he would hear applications. It would then not be necessary for the parties to be in attendance at the adjourned meeting in Christchurch unless they so desired. In several cases in . which there were applications for exemption, Mr Monteith' explained that Mr Priine and he could uot deal with these, and if an award was to be made in Christchurch, it would be necessary for the parties to consent to the applicants being struek out in the meantime. An application to add them again could be made at the next sittings of the Conrt m Auckland. The parties agreed. to this suggestion in every case. In almost al! the disputes the employers were represented by Mr H. J. Bishop, of Wellington, assistant secretary of the New Zealand Employers' Federation. The unions concerned were represented by about a jdozen diffierent secretaries.