ARBITRATION IN AUSTRALIA

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 8943, 8 October 1907, Page 2

ARBITRATION IN AUSTRALIA

Justice Hood ResignsPress Association. —Copyright. Melbourne, October 8. Justice Hood has Resigned his position as President of the Industrial Court. He found that misstatements, slanders and accusations had been circulated broadcast, and tho Court, unfortunately, had no power ,to deal with such matters. Had it possessed that power he would not have approached tho Cabinet, but would have used it to vindicate the standing of the Court. In a letter to the Cabinet the Judge replies to attacks on tho Court in connection with the appeal in the bakers’ award. The evidence, says the Judge, was so preposterously weak that I believe that any six employees themselves sitting as a jury under a sense of responsibility arising from an oath,would have found the same verdict. It is plain that if charges are allowed to go unanswered the authority of the Court nas gone.' Hi any event the task of the Judge who is unfortunate enough to be obliged to 'preside over the Court will be unpleasant. Parliament has not yet enacted that decisions should be won by clamour and invective, or that claims should be admitted simply because they are imperiously demanded. As for slanders, I might have passed them unnoticed, as far as I am personally concerned, as no reasonable man with any knowledge of the facts will credit them, but all persons, reasonable or otherwise, are largely influenced by statements constantly repeated and never contradicted, and therefore it seems desirable that the truth should be set forth in an unmistakable manner so that no fair or honourable man can possibly believe the charges, and no dishonest person can have any excuse for repeating them.