JUDGE SWORN-IN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 51, 23 November 1937, Page 9

JUDGE SWORN-IN

-Press AsBOciation.)

• — v » .1. . . The Second Arbitration Court EMPLOYERS> ASSESSOR

Telegrsph-

AUCKLAND, Last Night. The new judge of the recently-created second Arbitration Court, Mr, W, J. Hunter, of Christchurch, was sworn in at the Supreme Court by Mr. Justice Ostler. The ceremony took place in chambers. Mr. Hunter had arrived from tho south this morning and later in the af ternoon the new judge and Mr. Justice O'Regan, of the original Arbitration Court, conferred with the Minister of Labour (Hon. H. T. Armstrong) and the Minister subsequently met Mr. W. Cecil Prime and Mr. A. L. Monteith, employers and employees' members respectively of the original Court. After the eonference Mr. Armstrong stated that an initial allocation of work between the two Courts had been mado and he hoped tho new Court would be functioning within the next few days. Mr. Justice O'Eegau and his colieagues had an accumulation of 17 industrial disputes which had been' heard and which had still to be disposed of. The Court would accordingly suspend its public sittings until its arrears of work had been overtaken/ and the new Court vyould proceed to hear the cases on the list as soon as its full personnel had been brought together in Auckland. Eegarding the new appointments, the Minister said those of Mr. W. E. Anderson and Mr. D. I. MacDonald, nominees of the New Zealand Employers' Federation, for the offices of employers' member and deputy member respectively were being made immediately under the recent amending legislation, which allowed the usual polls of employers and workers' unions to be dispensed with. Ihe choice of .the employees' member and his deputy had been referred to the New Zealand Federation of Labour, with which nearly all the workers' unions were affiliated. He understood the federation was holding a mecting in Wellington, to-night to make npminations. When they had been received there would be no delay in making the $>rmal appointments. 'It was hoped that the new employees ' member would be able to leave for Auckland imzuediately and the second Court would begin its sittings as soon as he arrived. possibly on Wednesday. Mr. H. F. But--J land, deputy-registrar of the original Court, would be appointed registrar 1 of the second Court. Asked whether the Government was proceeding with its plan for appointing indnsfrial magistrat'cs, Mr. Armstrong said the legislation merely provided that the Arbitration Court might delegate certain of its powers to stipendiary • magistrates. The idea in the Government 's mind, however, had ' been to appoint some magistrates especially for the purpose. This was a mattor for the Minister of Justice, with whom' he would have to consult before anything was done. ■c