FEDERAL RULE.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1926, Page 3

FEDERAL RULE.

INDUSTRIAL POWERS. COMMONS KAi-Tfl AND STATES' SYDNEY, May 21. The most striking announcement made in regard to Australian Federal polities within the last week or so is the stated decision of the Commonwealth Government to hold, in August next, a referendum of the people to determine for all time whether the Commonwealth should he the supreme arbitration authority in Australia. The arbitration powers of the States and the Commonwealth have been the subject of much controversy in political and industrial circles during the. last six months or •so. The matter was brought to a head recently by the passage by the Now South Wales Government of an net providing that no more than 44 hours if week should be worked by all employees in this State. Queensland lias a similar Act. and in Western Australia most employees work 44 hours, hut in the other three States 48 hours a week is the rule. When the New South Wales Act was passed, employees working under a Federal award prescribing a 48-hour week, claimed that they should benefit by the State Act, and work- four hours less. This view the employers contested, and deducted four hours’ wages when the men refused to work the 48hour week. Union proceedings before a magistrate resulted in a test ease being decided in the union’s favour, but the employers took the matter to the High Court which decided, by a majority ruling, that the Federal awards providing a 48-hour week overrode the State 44-hours Act. THE 44-HOURS ’STRIKE.

This judgment was a blow to the unions affected, chiefly in the metal trades, and they decided to instruct their members not to work the 48 hours. The employers retaliated by closing their shops. This, what is known as the 44-liours’ strike, lias l>een in progress for several weeks in this State, and considerable losses on trade have been inflicted. Undoubtedly the conflict between the New South Wales Act and the Federal authority caused the Commonwealth Government to hasten its' plans, announced at the general elections in November last, for the widening of the Federal Arbitration Court’s powers and the removal of irritancy caused by friction with State wage and hour fixing tribunals. Undoubtedly the comparisons made by unionists of awards gained from the State and Federal tribunals have had much to do with a certain restless discontent among Australian workers. Consequently among the first formal business introduced in the House of Representatives when it resumed its sittings on Wednesday last was a Bill providing for the referendum in August. The questions to be submitted to the people are: Whether the Commonwealth should have (1) control of the settlement of industrial disputes; (2) the right to determine hours and wages of all industries; (3) the appointment of local boards to settle disputes, which if neglected, might cause serious industrial trouble; (4) the right to settle

disputes which might develop into' In-ter-State trouble; (5) the punishment of industrial violence on the lines of recent British legislation. Voting, as at general elections, will be compulsory. The Constitution provides that there I must be a majority in cadi of the six States in favour of the proposals before they are put into effect. Although Labour introduced on two occasions similar proposals before the war, the Party, with five out of six State Gov-1 ernments in their hands, is now ex- 1 peeted to oppose the proposals violent-1 ly, and Labour circles consider the I passage ol the referendum as inipos-1 sible.

ARBITRATION COURT. , The Commonwealth’s industrial ar-| bitration proposals do not end with the referendum. A second Bill introduced I last Wednesday provided for amend-1 nvent of the Arbitration Act to make I change of the system within the ex- J. isting limits of the Constitution. One of the clauses of the Bill provides for judicial appointments to the Arbitration Court for life, as under the Constitution the Court cannot enforce its awards unless it is vested with this judicial power. The Bill provides for , three members of the ' Court who will rank as J udges of the High Court of I " 'ustralia. The Bill also restores to the I - trade unionist control over his union, I 1 its officials, its funds and its acts, by | .

providing fora secret strike ballot. The remaining clauses contain provisions to prevent as far as possible with the existing power, the duplication and overlapping of awards by Commonwealth and State arbitration authorities.