WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1929, Page 2

WELLINGTON NEWS

ARBITRATION COURT.

(Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, June 11. it is reported that the trade unionists in Auckland arc of opinion that .Mr Justice Frazer, President of the Court, should be removed, the reasons given being that he is responsible lor most of the decisions given by the Court against the workers. 13y the same token lie is aiso responsible for all the decisions that workers consider to be in their favour. Ho is the President of the Court, and must necessarily deliver the judgment'or decisions. The Auckland workers evidently desire their own nominee to he the judge. Apart from,- this. a.good many people consider that the composition of the Arbitration Court is a farce. The workers’ representative invariably decides in favour of the workers, and the employers’ representative does the reverse and decides' in favour of the employers. The responsibility of deciding between the parties falls on the President of the Court, and all things considered his decisions have been fair, and in accordance with the laws governing the functions of the Arbitration Court.

A certain amount of significence is attached to this attack on the Arbitration Court, and 'somo prominent men of affairs are beginning to believe that the Arbitration Court as we know it bo-day is hearing its end. It is pointed out that in Victoria the Government has abolished preference to unionists on the railways, but the greatest attack on the arbitration system is to be made by the new Queensland Government'. Mr A. E. Moore, tfic now Prcunier of Queensland, lias stated that his Government was opposed to a third party, such as a court, interfering with the intimate details of a business. It was proposed to encourago the system o'f round-table conferences between employers and employed. No case was to be allowed to go to *the Arbitration Court unless it was the parties had met in conference and bad exhausted other means of industrial peace. This is in accordance with the recommendations of the Economic Commission to Australia. The Mission recommended abolishing the Arbitration Court, and if this was not considered politically expedient, then the Cburt should not be asked or called upon, to adjudicate until it was possessed/ of ..a .certificate, from the parties' declaring that every form of conciliation had been tried and (failed. The Commonwealth Government of Australia is also moving in the matter, and there is good reason for believing that in .the near future there will be a great modification of the Arbitration Court system throughout Australasia. This .will not he achieved without a great deal of opposition from vested interests. Out of the arbitration system has grown an army of aristocrats “ who toil not, neither do they spin, but their pockets are well lined, and besides political and other honours fall thick upon them. "Without an Arbitration Court many of/these black coat and collar gentlemen workers would probably have to roll up their sleeves and take their places with the common herd. brick combine. Anotherbrick combine is projected, this‘time in "Wellington. It will be remembered that a brick combine Was (formed in'Auckland some months back by amalgamating the principal brick, tile, and drain-pipe concerns in that city and two or three country "concerns. The first gesture after the Auckland combine was effected was the reductionJn the price of bricks by 5s to 10s per 1000. When this amalgamation ijivas consummated it was inevitable that smaller'concerns in Wellington would r endeavour to effect a similar merger, for" after/all there is a good deal of the merino sheep among business men, for they do exactly what the other fellow does. The Wellington combine is to make a public issue of 1\ per. cent debentures for £150,000, but the share's will be allotted" to the parties interested. This is practically on all-fours with the methods adopted by the Auckland brick combine. The debentures were subscribed by the public in record time (for such issues in New Zealand, and no doubt the Wellington issue will be ccpially successful, for they will bo worth’ Taking up by investors. At all events the efforts of the brick concerns to reduce costs of production and lower the selling prices deserves every consideration. Now that amalgamations of related industries have started it is to 'be „ hoped that it will extend to other industries;- Rationalisation.in the Woollen industry, in the boot and sho/f> industry, and in the timber industry would be advantageous to the cor entry, and the sooner this is undertaken tlio better. In the retail trade the multiple shop is inevitable if cv.t-throat competition is to he eliminator"!.